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Variability in competitive decision-making speed and quality against exploiting and exploitative opponents.
Benjamin James Dyson1,2,3
1Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P-217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada. bjdyson@ualberta.ca.
Scientific Reports
|February 4, 2021
Summary
Slowing decision-making after losses, not speeding up, improves competitive performance. A variable credit system may enhance control against exploitable opponents in games.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
- Game Theory
Background:
- Previous research suggests post-loss performance declines due to faster decision-making (post-error speeding).
- The relationship between decision speed and quality in competitive contexts requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that slower decision-making enhances performance in competitive scenarios.
- To examine how opponent type and credit systems influence decision-making speed and quality.
Main Methods:
- Experiments 1-3 used a zero-sum game to assess decision-making speed and quality.
- Manipulated opponent type (unexploitable, exploiting, exploitable) and credit systems (none, fixed, variable).
- Variable credit systems were designed to slow decision-making compared to no credit.
Main Results:
- Post-error speeding was confirmed as a cause of poorer decision-making quality.
- Lose-shift behavior was less flexible than win-stay behavior.
- Variable credit systems potentially increased perceived control against exploitable opponents.
Conclusions:
- Slowing decision-making, rather than speeding up after errors, can improve competitive outcomes.
- Understanding temporal dynamics and response interruption is crucial for optimizing decision-making against diverse opponents.
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