Pick the same
When everyone gains by choosing alike, pick what stands out to everyone, not your favourite. To get a group to aim high, go first where all can see.
5 minutes · trains Cooperate or defend · points only, never money
Sometimes everyone does better by choosing the same thing as everyone else, and the hard part is guessing what the others will choose. First, meet a crowd of bots without a word. Then hunt a stag with four bots who trust in different ways.
Two parts. First, four meet-ups: you and a crowd of 10 bots each choose from the same options, with no way to talk. You score one for every bot that chose what you chose. The bots are trying to match you too.
Then eight hunts, after Rousseau's story of the stag hunt. Five hunters, you and four bots: a stag feeds everyone well (6 points each), but only if all five go for it. A hare can be caught alone (3 points, for sure). Before each hunt you can tell the others what you plan, or set out first where they can see.
Points only; nothing to win or buy. A few minutes in all.
Try it yourself
At a big outdoor music festival, you lose your friend in the crowd and both phones are dead. You never agreed where to meet. Where do you go?
3 questions, a minute or two. Nothing to finish first.
Want more? Practise Cooperate or defend.
Read more
- Coordinate on what stands out When everyone gains by choosing alike, pick what stands out to everyone, not your favourite. To get a group to aim high together, show first that you will.
- Cooperate or defend When you will meet again, cooperation and reputation pay. In a one-off, protect yourself in the terms, but remember that few deals are truly one-off.
- Nash equilibrium A set of choices where no player can do better by changing only their own.
- The Cooperate or defend course Lessons and practice for the skill this lab trains.