POL SCI W135: Game Theory in the Social Sciences

Solutions to Practice Quizzes

Week 1
(Not for distribution.)

1. Topic 1

Figures for 2-3 and 2-6-a are shown on the last two pages.
2-6-b) There are six information sets for the contestant at the point when he has
to decide whether or not to switch doors: (1) nodes 1/1/2 and 3/1/2; (2) nodes
1/1/3 and 2/1/3; (3) nodes 1/2/3 and 2/2/3; (4) nodes 1/3/2 and 3/3/2; (5)
nodes 2/2/1 and 3/2/1; and (6) nodes 2/3/1 and 3/3/1. For example, the first
information set comprises nodes 1/1/2 and 3/1/2. At node 1/1/2, Monty put
the prize behind door 1, the contestant chose door 1, and Monty opened door 2.
At node 3/1/2, Monty put the prize behind door 3, the contestant chose door
1, and Monty opened door 2. The contestant cannot discriminate between those
two nodes since they entail the same sequence of observed actions - the contestant
chose door 1 and Monty opened door 2 - and differ only in terms of where Monty
put the prize. That the information set includes both nodes 1/1/2 and 3/1/2
means that the contestant does not know whether the good prize is behind door
1 or door 3.
2-8) Player 1 has two information sets, the initial node and the information set
associated with a1 and a2 having been played. Let x/y denote a strategy for player
1 that assigns action x to the initial node and action y to the other information set.
Player 1s strategy then contains four elements: a1/c1, a1/d1, b1/c1, and b1/d1.
Player 2 also has two information sets, the singleton associated with 1 having used
a1 and the information set with two nodesone when the path is a1 a2 c1
(read asa1 is chosen then a2 is chosen then c1 is chosen) and one when the path
is a1 a2 d1 . If strategy x/y assigns action x to the first information set and
action y to the second one, then player 2 has four strategies: a2/c2, a2/d2, b2/c2,
and b2/d2.

a2 /c2 a2 /d2 b2 /c2 b2 /d2

a1 /c1 5, 2 15,0 10,5 10,5
a1 /d1 20, 3 4,1 10,5 10,5
b1 /c1 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0
b1 /d1 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0
2. Topic 2

3-4-a) For player 1, a is strictly dominated by b. Neither b nor c is strictly

dominated. For player 2, z is strictly dominated by x. Player 1 plays either b or
c and player 2 plays either x or y.
3-4-b) By the assumption, we can go two rounds of the iterative deletion of strictly
dominated strategies (IDSDS). After eliminating the strictly dominated strategies,
both Player 1 and Player 2 are left with two strategies, b and c for player 1 and
x and y for player 2. Now b strictly dominates c for player 1. Neither of player
2s strategies is strictly dominated. Thus, player 1 chooses b and player 2 chooses
either x or y.
3-4-c) After the first two rounds, player 1 is left with b while player 2 with x and
y. Now y strictly dominates x for player 2. Thus, player 1 chooses b and player
2 chooses y.
3-6) Based on the information provided in the question, we can construct a strate-
gic form game as below. The rows represent strategies and payoffs for Garbh
Clan, while columns for Conchubhair Clan. Let us now use the iterative deletion

Fagan Guy Neal

Bevan 2, 1 1,2 2,0
Cathal 3, 0 0,1 1,2
Duer 1,2 -1,0 0,0

of strictly dominated strategies to determine who will battle. Since Cathal is

superior to Duer against all three of the warriors from the Conchubhair Clan, we
can then eliminate Duer. Next, note that Bevan is best against Guy and Neal
(since Bevan is superior to Cathal and Cathal is superior to Duer) and Cathal is
best against Fagan. Therefore, neither Bevan nor Cathal is strictly dominated.
Thus, in the first round, we can delete only Duer from the Garbh Clan. Since each
of the warriors in the Conchubhair Clan is best against someone, none of them
is strictly dominated. After one round of the IDSDS, we are left with Bevan and
Cathal for the Garbh Clan and Fagan, Guy, and Neal for the Conchubhair Clan.
Against Bevan and Cathal, Guy is superior to Fagan, so Fagan can be eliminated.
Since Guy is better than Neal against Bevan and Neal is better than Guy against
Cathal, neither Guy nor Neal can be eliminated. Note that we cannot eliminate
anyone from the Garbh Clan in round 2 because the Conchubhair Clan has the
same three warriors as in round 1.
At the end of the second round, we are left with Bevan and Cathal for the Garbh
Clan and Guy and Neal for the Conchubhair Clan. Against Guy and Neal, Bevan
is superior to Cathal, so we can delete Cathal. Since the warriors for the Garbh
Clan in round 3 are the same as in round 2, we cannot eliminate anyone from
the Conchubhair Clan. After three rounds, we are left with Bevan for the Garbh
Clan and Guy and Neal for the Conchubhair Clan. Since Guy is superior to Neal
against Bevan, Neal is eliminated.
 We conclude that the leader of the Garbh Clan will choose Bevan and the leader
of the Conchubhair Clan will select Guy.
4-7) The Nash equilibria are (do not kidnap/kill, do not pay ransom) and (do not
kidnap/release, do not pay ransom).
4-11) Using the best-reply (circle) method, we can find that the Nash equilibria
are (C/C, torture, refer), (C/DNC, torture, refer), (DNC/C, DNT, do not refer),
(DNC/DNC, torture, do not refer) and (DNC/DNC, DNT, do not refer).