Game Theory Trip

[fractal9091]

I'm about to head to Chapel Hill, because in the morning jmermin and I drive up to Baltimore. We'll stay with Jonathan and Kristen (and two-month-old Caroline) for the weekend, attend the Coldsnap Magic Prerelease, and perhaps an Orioles baseball game

Comments

[meiow]

Yes, methinks that talk will be EXTRA interesting if he's dead. ;)

Give me an example of game theory, please. :)

[fractal9091]

Well, a couple examples you might have heard of are the Prisoner's Dilemma (to confess or not to confess?), and the Ultimatum Game (one person splits $10, the other person either accepts the split or else both get nothing).

However, this one struck me in my first game theory course. Suppose there are two roommates, Chris and Pat (androgynous names). Chris can tolerate 10 items of trash on the floor before feeling compelled to clean the place up, Pat can tolerate 11 pieces of trash before having to clean. If deciding when to clean is the entire game, Chris will end up doing the cleaning every single timeSince Chris might not like this outcome, one response could be a Grim Trigger strategy in repeated games, using an ultimatum. "Pat, we'll alternate cleaning up when there are 10 pieces of trash on the floor. If you ever let it get to 11, however, then I won't ever clean again." Chris is threatening to make them both worse off in order to ensure cooperation, leaving only one question: Is Chris credible

[meiow]

That's *very* intriguing. So, it's basically the psychological aspects of power stuggles?

My friend starchyld, who you replied to in one of my previous posts, just got her masters at UNC-G, specializing in the communications of BDSM relationships. Somehow, it seems like there could be an interesting conversation brewing in that area...

[eve_prime]

Hi! I'm intrigued by your comment, as my own research is in the psychology of communications. What department did your friend do her master's in?

(My problem with game theory, actually, is that it tends to leave out the psychological elements in the interests of quantitative analysis, and reduces everything to math. Game theorists are typically in economics, like J., or in political science.)

[eve_prime]

I'm going to want you to report on how much Dr. Nash resembles Russell Crowe. (Should we watch the movie?)

[keyboard_monkey]

You might want to check out the baseball schedule. The Orioles are away this weekend (but home the following weekend). We're going to the one on the 15th, when they'll be giving away bobbleheads of Chapel Hill native Brian Roberts.

[fractal9091]

Ah, I guess I misinterpreted Jeff's email? Okay, baseball on the 15th, I don't know what on the 9th.