Prisoner’s Dilemma

A figurative concept used to encourage and promote collective interest over personal interest.

The Prisoner’s Dilemma is an allegory that encourages the kind of decision-making that benefits a group rather than an individual. This allegory is largely used as an application of Game Theory, especially in scenarios when personal benefit appears to outclass group benefit. In the corporate world, the concept of the prisoner’s dilemma derives its value from the emphasis on cooperative courses of action where risks and rewards are shared.

Prisoner’s dilemma was put forward by a group of mathematicians. The original idea centered around two criminals choosing whether or not to testify against themselves. Ultimately, as long as both criminals keep silent, they would get a lighter sentence than if only one testifies or both of them testify.