Evolutionary Game Theory and Evolutionarily Stable Strategies
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
Major
Mathematics
Minor
Biology
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Maeve McCarthy
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
The object of game theory is to choose a strategy that will resolve conflicts, with the highest payoff for all individuals involved. In this presentation, two scenarios of game theory are analyzed: 2 player-2 choice game theory, and 2 player-3 choice game theory, demonstrated by Hawk-Dove game theory and Rock-Paper-Scissors game theory, respectively. The payoffs of every matchup within each scenario are evaluated. Then, both scenarios are analyzed to find an evolutionary stable strategy (ESS), which is a set of strategies, one for each player, such that no player has the incentive to deviate given what the others are doing. Interestingly, we find that because always choosing a pure strategy does not maximize benefit, these evolutionary stable strategies and selection from these strategies are actually a mechanism behind the consistent balance of different characteristics in a population.
Keywords: game theory, equilibrium, competition, population
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Projects in Biomathematics (BIO/MAT 460)
Evolutionary Game Theory and Evolutionarily Stable Strategies
The object of game theory is to choose a strategy that will resolve conflicts, with the highest payoff for all individuals involved. In this presentation, two scenarios of game theory are analyzed: 2 player-2 choice game theory, and 2 player-3 choice game theory, demonstrated by Hawk-Dove game theory and Rock-Paper-Scissors game theory, respectively. The payoffs of every matchup within each scenario are evaluated. Then, both scenarios are analyzed to find an evolutionary stable strategy (ESS), which is a set of strategies, one for each player, such that no player has the incentive to deviate given what the others are doing. Interestingly, we find that because always choosing a pure strategy does not maximize benefit, these evolutionary stable strategies and selection from these strategies are actually a mechanism behind the consistent balance of different characteristics in a population.
Keywords: game theory, equilibrium, competition, population