The Baboons’ Dilemma:
A simple game involving
fishing baboons.
Two baboons love to fish.
They agree to get up
at 7 a.m. to fish together.
They can COOPERATE together.
One uses a net.
The other uses a scooper.
If they work together, they can catch six fish and split them evenly.
But one baboon could BETRAY the other.
He could set an alarm for 6 a.m.
The baboon could get the net and the scooper.
Working alone, this baboon could only catch four fish, but that’s more than three!
The other baboon would get NOTHING.
What if BOTH baboons BETRAY each other?
What if they BOTH set their alarms for 6 a.m.?
The baboons realize that the other one tried to BETRAY them.
They squabble over the net and the scooper, and break them.
The baboons fish alone.
With the broken tools, they can only catch ONE fish each.
Here’s the question:
If you were a fishing baboon, when would you set your alarm?
A cooperative 7 a.m.?
Or a betraying 6 a.m.?
?
?
?
?
Remember, if you both
COOPERATE,
you each get three fish.
If you both BETRAY,
you each get one.
| Baboon B: Cooperate | Baboon B: Betray |
Baboon A: Cooperate | (3, 3) (A, B) | |
Baboon A: Betray | | (1, 1) (A, B) |
But if one of you
BETRAYS
and the other
COOPERATES,
the BETRAYER
gets four fish,
and the COOPERATOR
gets nothing.
| Baboon B: Cooperate | Baboon B: Betray |
Baboon A: Cooperate | (3, 3) (A, B) | (0, 4) (A, B) |
Baboon A: Betray | (4, 0) (A, B) | (1, 1) (A, B) |
Here’s the trick:
No matter what your partner chooses, BETRAY is the better choice for you.
| Baboon B: Cooperate | Baboon B: Betray |
Baboon A: Cooperate | (3, 3) (A, B) | (0, 4) (A, B) |
Baboon A: Betray | (4, 0) (A, B) | (1, 1) (A, B) |
Pretend you are Baboon B.
Baboon
B
Say your partner chooses COOPERATE.
If you choose COOPERATE you get three fish, but if you choose BETRAY you get four.
| Baboon B: Cooperate | Baboon B: Betray |
Baboon A: Cooperate | (3, 3) (A, B) | (0, 4) (A, B) |
Baboon A: Betray | (4, 0) (A, B) | (1, 1) (A, B) |
Say your partner chooses BETRAY.
If you choose COOPERATE you get zero fish, but if you choose BETRAY you get one.
| Baboon B: Cooperate | Baboon B: Betray |
Baboon A: Cooperate | (3, 3) (A, B) | (0, 4) (A, B) |
Baboon A: Betray | (4, 0) (A, B) | (1, 1) (A, B) |
No matter what, BETRAY gets you more fish.
Now, you’re ready to play
The Baboons’ Dilemma.
Each person will get a partner.
You will pretend to be the two baboons.
You each will make a SECRET choice to COOPERATE
or
BETRAY.
If you both choose
COOPERATE,
you each get three fish.
If you both choose
BETRAY,
you each get one.
| Cooperate | Betray |
Cooperate | (3, 3) | |
Betray | | (1, 1) |
But if one of you
BETRAYS
and the other
COOPERATES,
the person who
BETRAYS
gets four fish,
and the one who
COOPERATES
gets nothing.
| Player B: Cooperate | Player B: Betray |
Player A: Cooperate | (3, 3) (A, B) | (0, 4) (A, B) |
Player A: Betray | (4, 0) (A, B) | (1, 1) (A, B) |
You and your partner will play
FIVE rounds.
The goal is to get AS MANY fish as possible.
When you are finished, add up your fish.
Then, play again with a NEW partner.
Keep playing until you have played with FIVE people.
How many fish can YOU catch all together?