Two suspected drug dealers are stopped by the highway patrol for speeding. The officer searches the car and finds a small bag of marijuana and arrests the two. During the interrogation, each is separately offered the following: "If you confess to dealing drugs and testify against your partner, you will be given immunity and released while your partner will get 10 years in prison. If you both confess, you will each get 5 years." If neither confesses, there is no evidence of drug dealing, and the most they could get is one year each for possession of marijuana. If each suspected drug dealer follows a dominant strategy, what should he/she do?

Question

Social Studies

Amara Valenzuela

23 February, 10:52

Two suspected drug dealers are stopped by the highway patrol for speeding. The officer searches the car and finds a small bag of marijuana and arrests the two. During the interrogation, each is separately offered the following: "If you confess to dealing drugs and testify against your partner, you will be given immunity and released while your partner will get 10 years in prison. If you both confess, you will each get 5 years." If neither confesses, there is no evidence of drug dealing, and the most they could get is one year each for possession of marijuana. If each suspected drug dealer follows a dominant strategy, what should he/she do?

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Answers (1)

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Alissa Compton · Answer 1

If each suspected drug dealer follows a dominant strategy, he/she should - a. confess regardless of the partner's decision

Explanation:

In game theory, one player would be displaying strategic dominance if he or she chooses a dominant strategy, which promises a better outcome for this player regardless of the strategy chosen by the player he or she is playing against.

Here, each suspected drug dealer will have a better outcome if he/she confesses and testifies against his/her partner, because in result he/she gets the best possible outcome - immunity.