Yale / Political Science

Iterative Deletion and the Median-Voter Theorem

By Benjamin Polak | Game Theory Lecture 3 of 24

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Lecture Description

We apply the main idea from last time, iterative deletion of dominated strategies, to analyze an election where candidates can choose their policy positions. We then consider how good is this classic model as a description of the real political process, and how we might build on it to improve it. Toward the end of the class, we introduce a new idea to get us beyond iterative deletion. We think about our beliefs about what the other player is going to do, and then ask what is the best strategy for us to choose given those beliefs?

Course Description

This course is an introduction to game theory and strategic thinking. Ideas such as dominance, backward induction, Nash equilibrium, evolutionary stability, commitment, credibility, asymmetric information, adverse selection, and signaling are discussed and applied to games played in class and to examples drawn from economics, politics, the movies, and elsewhere.

Related Resources

Lecture Transcript, Reading Assignment, Handouts, and Problem Sets

Course Index

  1. Introduction to Game Theory
  2. Putting Yourselves into Other People's Shoes
  3. Iterative Deletion and the Median-Voter Theorem
  4. Best Responses in Soccer and Business Partnerships
  5. Nash Equilibrium
  6. Nash Equilibrium: Dating and Cournot
  7. Nash Equilibrium: Shopping, Standing and Voting on a Line
  8. Nash Equilibrium: Location, Segregation and Randomization
  9. Mixed Strategies in Theory and Tennis
  10. Mixed Strategies in Baseball, Dating and Paying Your Taxes
  11. Evolutionary Stability: Cooperation, Mutation, and Equilibrium
  12. Evolutionary Stability: Social Convention, Aggression, and Cycles
  13. Sequential Games: Moral Hazard, Incentives, and Hungry Lions
  14. Backward Induction: Commitment, Spies, and First-Mover Advantages
  15. Backward Induction: Chess, Strategies, and Credible Threats
  16. Backward Induction: Reputation and Duels
  17. Backward Induction: Ultimatums and Bargaining
  18. Imperfect Information: Information Sets and Sub-Game Perfection
  19. Subgame Perfect Equilibrium: Matchmaking and Strategic Investments
  20. Subgame Perfect Equilibrium: Wars of Attrition
  21. Repeated Games: Cooperation vs the End Game
  22. Repeated Games: Cheating, Punishment, and Outsourcing
  23. Asymmetric Information: Silence, Signaling and Suffering Education
  24. Asymmetric Information: Auctions and the Winner's Curse
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