Abstract / Synopsis
In this note, we present a compatibility test with a rigorous mathematical foundation in game theory. The test must be taken separately by both partners, making it difficult for either partner alone to control the outcome. To introduce basic notions of game theory we investigate a scene from the film "A Beautiful Mind" based on John Nash's life and Nobel-prize-winning theorem. We recall this result and reveal the mathematics behind our test. Readers may customize and modify the test for more accurate results or to evaluate interpersonal relationships in other settings, not only romantic. Finally, we apply Dyson's and Press's "zero-determinant payoff strategies'' to this setting and explore the existence of such strategies and the corresponding implications for relationship dynamics.
DOI
10.5642/jhummath.201501.05
Rights Information
Kerstin Bever and Julie Rowlett
Recommended Citation
Kerstin Bever & Julie Rowlett, "Love Games: A Game-Theory Approach To Compatibility," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 5 Issue 1 (January 2015), pages 82-104. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.201501.05. Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol5/iss1/5
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