Mind games: Split or Steal?

[SkyDream 315]

I was just watching this interesting program on television about how you can't truly trust your brain, and you can trust other people only slightly more.

 

They had this little game where they had a bucket of money on the table and two people sitting there. Each person could choose to split or steal, and their answer is revealed at the same time.

 

If both people choose split, they both get half the money!

 

If one person chooses split and the other person chooses steal, then the person who chose steal gets all of the money.

 

If both people choose steal, then nobody gets any money.

 

Again, they only get to see what the other person decided at the same time after both people have chosen. So this is where you have to make a choice. Do you believe the other person will be trusting and trust you? Then you could both pick Split, and get some money. Or, if you think they'll trust you, you could be a total jerk and steal all the money. But if you think the other person looks untrustworthy, they probably won't pick split at all, and you won't end up with any money regardless!

 

So your best bet to get any money at all is to choose split. Unless you're the jerk in the relationship.

 

So what do you do? You have two out of four possible combinations of results to win money; one wins more, the other wins less. The other two choices win you no money, but the other person either all the money or none of the money.

Edited August 11, 2014 by SkyDream

[Vemillia Nightshade 2,247]

Split is my answer. I feel like it wouldn't be fair to take it all for myself, but that's me. I just use money to survive, not be greedy.

[Celtore 2,770]

I would split despite stealing having more advantages. If I were to steal, I would in the best case scenario get everything but in the worse get nothing. If I were to split, the best scenario is that I get 50% and the worst is that I get nothing. The big decider here is that I'm not a jerk and I think I look at least somewhat trustworthy (although that might mean reverse reverse reverse psychology might come into play.)

[SparklingSquirrels 21,345]

I'd choose split, since I don't like to steal things... besides, I'm not greedy; I don't need a whole lot of money anyway.

[GhostPony750 959]

Well, that's indeed a diffcult question. But I guess I'd take split, at least the other guy would get money.

 

But there is another thing... this isn't the real situation, so of course, most of the people who answered something might pick the opposite.

[Sigma 768]

I felt reminded of the Monty Hall Problem when I read this, so I decided to make a little examination. Let's just say there's $100 at stake:

 

If you were to choose split, and the other person's choice is completely random:

50% chance of getting $50.

50% chance of getting $0.

 

If you were to choose steal, and the other person's choice is completely random:

50% chance of getting $100.

50% chance of getting $0.

 

The answer may seem straightforward, but you can't be rest assured that you've made the best possible decision using nothing except mathematics like the Monty Hall Problem. With the Monty Hall Problem, if you where to switch doors, you were twice as likely to win a car, plain and simple. However, since another player has been introduced, things begin to get complicated. Usually, you create a game tree showing all possible moves that could be made, you assume the player is going to make the worst possible moves for you, and you deductively figure it out from there. However, the problem with this method is that the other player isn't exactly competing against you, and he's not guaranteed to choose the best possible move for himself either since there's kind of this "Is he friend or is he foe?" type deal going on. As you can see, a lot of factors are being put in to this which renders math pretty much useless. In order to be effective at this game, you need to be able to know the other person well and read them as well as get your goals straightened out. Do you want to be Mr. Nice Guy, or do you just want to earn as much money as possible?

 

Considering that my aim is to not be a jerk while at the same time not be a doormat, my choice is to steal. Why?

 

1. I can't read people worth a darn, so I won't be able to make an effective choice based on the other person.

 

2. I don't have to feel all sad and betrayed if the other person chose to steal.

 

3. If I'm not getting any money, then neither are you!

 

4. If I do end up getting all of the money, then I'll just give half to the opposing player once it's all over (which may sound like ruining the point of the game, but meh. You gave me the money, so I'll do what I want with it! ).

Edited August 11, 2014 by Asterisk Propernoun

[Dead account67902568 119]

according to the show most people preferred to share though(the show is the most awsomeset thing in the world;brain games!)