The Prisoner’s Dilemma is a classic game theory and role-play scenario that can improve trust and promote teamwork and cooperation within teams.
This guide will provide an overview of the activity, instructions for facilitating it, and tips for maximizing its impact.
What is the Prisoner’s Dilemma?
The Prisoner’s Dilemma involves two participants who must choose to cooperate or defect. Their choices result in different outcomes based on the combination:
- If both cooperate, both receive a moderate reward.
- If one cooperates and the other defects, the defector gets the highest reward and the cooperator gets nothing.
- If both defect, both receive a minor punishment.
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The dilemma is that cooperating provides the best overall outcome, but defecting can provide the highest individual reward. We hear this from customers who have ordered our full set of courses.
Using the Prisoner’s Dilemma for Team Building
Playing the Prisoner’s Dilemma can reveal insights about cooperation, trust, motivations and improve group dynamics skills within teams. It can be used to:
- Foster discussion about teamwork strategies.
- Understand different perspectives on cooperation.
- Break down barriers between team members.
- Practice open communication and transparency.
How to Facilitate the Activity
To use the Prisoner’s Dilemma effectively, follow these steps.
Materials Needed:
- Score sheet showing the different payoff scenarios.
- Tokens for players to indicate cooperate/defect choices.
1. Explain the Rules
- Review the basic premise and payoff scenarios.
- Ensure everyone understands the options and implications.
2. Pair Up Participants
- Have team members partner up into pairs.
- Try to match up different personalities/roles.
3. Conduct Rounds of Play
- Partners take turns simultaneously revealing cooperate or defect choices.
- Track scores after each round but keep choices private.
- Play several rounds to see if strategies change.
4. Discuss as a Team
- What strategies did partners employ? Were they effective?
- How did early distrust or cooperation influence later rounds?
- What lessons can be applied to real world teamwork?
5. Repeat (optional)
- Switch up pairings and play again.
- Discuss insights from the second round.
Tips for Success
- Keep the activity lighthearted and positive.
- Encourage honest communication and reflection.
- Relate insights to real work situations, but don’t criticize.
- Consider prizes for top scoring pairs to encourage engagement.
Don’t forget to check out our post on role plays and our minute to win it team activities.
Conclusion
Using the Prisoner’s Dilemma in a team building workshop can reveal insightful perspectives on cooperation and motivation.
With proper facilitation focused on positive discussion, it can break down barriers between team members and provide lessons for improving teamwork, communication, and trust.
With 30+ years of experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, B.A., M.A., PGDip, founded Oak Innovation in 1995. Catherine received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s from University College Cork. She holds qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. She is completing a second Master’s from University College Cork. Since 1995, clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
