Custom «Hide and Seek in Arizona» Essay Paper Sample

The authors of the paper seek to establish reasons why there is a deviation from the equilibrium theory when laboratory subjects played a simple zero sum game of pursuit and evasion between two people. The deviation is seen in asymmetry in the games played, in the role of the player and a positive correlation in the manner in which the player acted. The authors also try to explore human behavior and the factors that influence it.

The authors seek answers to the research question by conducting an experiment using laboratory subjects where two games with stochastic and deterministic payoffs are played between two players to establish the deviation in the Nash Equilibrium theory. The experiment was such that the games were zero-sum meaning there was no monetary payoff. In the stochastic game, the payoff was determined and based on probability while in the deterministic game, the payoff was guaranteed in each round played. The authors also used observations from previous research carried out by other authors.

In the experiment the games were played by laboratory subjects who were paired up to play the games as many times as possible. The sample consisted of 40 pairs of subjects. The subjects were university students of the same age group. Various variables were also used including background, primary, constant and uncontrolled variables. The experiment also employed QRE and reinforcement learning to measure certain human traits. The subjects were probably randomly selected.

The paper shows that the experiment demonstrated that half of the players who played the stochastic game tried to predict the outcome of their die rolls, and this affected the outcome of the game. It is also established that the theoretical Nash Equilibrium dictates that each player should have more left play than right. This was established in the experiment where it was observed that most evaders and pursuers played left than right. There was, however, variation from the 2/3 indication of the equilibrium theory. The authors also account for why there was a departure from the equilibrium theory using data from the experiment but conclude that further research needs to be done on the subject.