Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-01 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).
Overview
- Swedish nameSpelteori och rationalitet
- CodeENM140
- Credits7.5 Credits
- OwnerMPCAS
- Education cycleSecond-cycle
- Main field of studyEngineering Physics
- DepartmentSPACE, EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT
- GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail
Course round 1
- Teaching language English
- Application code 11115
- Maximum participants25 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
- Block schedule
- Open for exchange studentsYes
Credit distribution
Module | Sp1 | Sp2 | Sp3 | Sp4 | Summer | Not Sp | Examination dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0114 Project 7.5 c Grading: TH | 7.5 c |
In programmes
- MPCAS - COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS, MSC PROGR, Year 1 (compulsory elective)
- MPCAS - COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS, MSC PROGR, Year 2 (elective)
- MPENM - ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE, MSC PROGR, Year 1 (compulsory elective)
- MPENM - ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE, MSC PROGR, Year 2 (elective)
Examiner
Claes Andersson- Senior Researcher, Physical Resource Theory, Space, Earth and Environment
Eligibility
General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Specific entry requirements
English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.
Course specific prerequisites
A Bachelor's degree in science, engineering or economics and some experience of programming/modelling.Aim
The aim of this course is to give an introduction to game theory and evolutionary models within the field, in order to inspire and engage the students so that they can identify and explore game-theoretic dilemmas or situations during the studies as well as in their future work-life. This is achieved through examining basic game-theoretic concepts including the concept of rationality. The students, typically at the end of their undergraduate studies, are tasked individually as well as in group with acquiring knowledge about a series of game-theoretic applications. We focus on the effects of individual rationality on collective outcomes, as well as the resulting behavior of agents with different strategies in a large population. We cover theory of general principles of rational action and examine known limitations on how well this describes human behavior in reality. Secondary aims include getting hands-on experience of modelling in a game-theoretic context as well as training in reading and presenting scientific articles. The course offers students a possibility to deepen their understanding of their subject area through project-based studies of applications within their respective field.Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
- Formulating games given some
specific strategic interaction that arises within their own discipline
- Summarizing and presenting game-theoretic literature
- Defining and applying models of
decision-making agents with actions, interactions and strategies
- Using different techniques to find
the Nash equilibria in games
- Differentiating between and apply
extensive and normal (or strategic) form games
- Comparing and reflecting upon the
expected outcome from the backward induction principle with situations in real
life and the limitations it highlights for the use of the game theory and the
concept of rationality
- Eliminating strategies from a game
based on domination arguments
- Identifying, analyzing and arguing about
the existence of social dilemmas, such as the tragedy of the commons and public
goods games including examples of natural, economic and social origin
- Defining and applying the concepts of
Pareto optimality
- Defining and solving for mixed-strategy
equilibrium
- Differentiating between equilibrium
in game theory and stable strategies in evolutionary game theory
- Using Bayesian game theory to deal with situations where players are uncertain
about what game they are playing.
Content
Background:Game theory is the scientific study of strategic interaction between rational agents, involving analysis of phenomena such as cooperation and conflict in a wide range of biological, economic and social systems. Game theory and its extensions are continuously applied to understand situations such as climate negotiations, how plants grow their roots and distribute seeds under competition, to warfare and auctions.
Content:
The content of the course will be influenced by the students attending it (i.e. other topics may be added to the following list). Topics covered in previous years' version of the course include: Basic game-theoretic concepts, theory and principles of rational decision-making, backward induction and the rationality paradox, analysis of repeated interaction, Bayesian games, tragedy of the commons, evolutionary game theory, public good games, agent-based models in game theory.
Organisation
- A lecture series
covering game theory basics.
- An exam in the middle of the course
on game theory basics.
- Guest lectures.
- Two assignments, including a
tournament between the students computerized strategies.
- A project (80-100 hours work per
student) carried out in groups, presented orally and in a written report.
Literature
The main course book is
Kevin Leyton-Brown and Yoav Shoham, Essentials of Game Theory: A Concise,
Multidisciplinary Introduction (2008). The book can be downloaded free of
charge through Chalmers' library.
Selected chapters and
examples may be distributed from Herbert Gintis, Game Theory Evolving: A
Problem-Centered Introduction to Modeling Strategic Interaction (Second
Edition, 2009). The book is available as ebook at Chalmers' library.
We also recommend Steven
Tadelis book Game Theory An Introduction (2008). This book can be
downloaded free of charge via Academia.
Reading materials for the
project seminars will be distributed during the course by students.
Examination including compulsory elements
Compulsory elements:
◦ Oral presentation of project
Oral presentation of
project is compulsory.
◦ Attending the
guest lectures, and project presentations
Absence from guest
lectures and other students project presentations lead to a score deduction of
one point per 45-minute session.
◦ Two short
assignments
◦ Midterm exam
◦ Project report
The compulsory nature of
these components is enforced via a minimum score for passing grade as per
below.
Grading is done based on:
◦ The midterm exam (-22-22
points, min. 7 points for passing grade)
◦ Project presentation (0-8
points)
◦ Project reports (0-16 points,
minimum 7 points for passing grade)
◦ The two assignments (2 points
each max., i.e. 0-4 points total, min. 1 point each for passing grade)
The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.