Game Theory for Parents
This article discusses how Game Theory could be applied to human behavior, especially behavior in children, so that parents could possibly find a way to mediate sibling rivalry amongst their children. In any given situation, people are more likely cooperate if cooperation results in more a maximized payoff for them. For example, in a situation where two siblings are expected to clean up after playing with their toys, if one of them initiates a cooperative move, it is likely that the other will reciprocate the initial move by performing a cooperative move as well. When both have participated in cleaning up, then an incentive can be rewarded to both of them (i.e. ice cream).
The first move to pick up the toys can be initiated by parent intervention, by taking turns picking up the toys with one child first until the more stubborn one joins in. Another strategy for parents is that they can be the one to refuse to cooperate by cleaning up by themselves, so that ice cream will be rewarded to neither of them. This creates a disruption in the “game”, leading the children to feel the need to cooperate. This disruption also teaches the children that cooperation is easier, and can lead them to rewards; in the future, the children may no longer need parental reinforcement to cooperate, since it is already in their memory that cooperation is the better strategy than not cooperating. This taking turns and cooperating is called “tit for tat” by game theorists, and is mathematically proven to be an effective parenting tactic in enforcing cooperation among children.
The article also introduces the factor of generosity into the “tit for tat” tactic, where even when one child stops cooperating, the other allows time for the child to change his or her behavior and eventually start cooperating again. This is called generous tit for tat. Another type of tit for tat situation is where one child stops cooperating so the other stops as well, and so the child feels sorry and starts cooperating again. This is called contrite tit for tat.
These different types of tactics and situations ultimately root from the principle of game theory that one player’s decision affects the decision of another player. This article applies this principle to parenting strategies for sibling rivalry and conflict in particular, as it introduces different ways parents could use game theory to teach their children how to cooperate. It is so intriguing how human psychology and biology interplays with the decisions we make. Game theory is not only relevant to “games” like penalty kicks, but also relevant to real-life situations in daily life. This strategic way of thinking can be manipulated to encourage positive ties and relations, which is harmony and fairness between the siblings in this article. In a map of networks composed of nodes of people, one’s behavior can directly or indirectly affect another; in this case, the article suggests that the principle of game theory can be used to lead a link between two nodes (a pair of siblings) to become a positive tie. This positive tie would encourage a safe and harmonious dynamic in the family, and a reciprocative positive effect on each member to another in a family.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/game-theory-for-parents1/