You may have noticed the discussion in Taylor (2014) at the end of Chapter 10 about oligopoly and the prisoner’s dilemma. The prisoner’s dilemma is an example of game theory. A “game” is like a board game, as your optimal move depends on what your opponent does. The same holds in oligopoly, as your own decisions as to what price to charge or how much to produce depend on what your competitors do.

Take a look at the following video that tries to illustrate oligopoly and game theory through a Batman movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMq059SAQXM

Find one other YouTube video on game theory and share the link with your classmates. Then discuss the following issues:

• • Did the Batman video or the other video you found help explain the concept of game theory? Or was it just silly?
  • Besides oligopoly, can you think of any other situations that game theory is useful for? This can be situations in the business world, in your own workplace, or even something you saw in a movie or TV show.
  • What do you find easier to follow – the game theory matrices or the math equations/computations that you’ve used in this class?

Finally, watch some of the game theory videos that your classmates found and give your comments on these videos.

PART2

What game theory teaches us about war | Simon Sinek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bFs6ZiynSU

Simon Sinek, a favorite author and speaker of mine, introduces two types of games in Game Theory: Finite and Infinite games. A Finite game has known players w/fixed rules and mutually understood and agreed upon objectives. An Infinite game has both known and unknown players, the rules can be changed and the objective is to perpetuate a game. These ideas have shaped our foreign policy, for better or worse.

Finite players versus finite players are in a stable game, the system is stable (baseball, conventional war). Each of these games have clear winners and losers as well as decisive end points. Infinite versus infinite players also play a stable game: there are no winners or losers. Players can only drop out when they’ve run out of resources or lost the will to play. Otherwise, the game continues in perpetuity. A situation in which a finite player plays an infinite player creates problems, chaos. The finite player gets caught in a difficult situation.

One example of finite players playing infinite games is in business. The concept of business has existed longer than any business and will exist long after current/existing businesses have dissolved. Businesses today are playing finite games on an infinite playfield: their strategies are often quarter to quarter or year to year.

Another example of finite versus infinite players was the United States in Vietnam, or later, the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The people of Vietnam and Afghanistan were fighting for their livelihoods, their existence. They were playing infinite games. In each case, the major powers (U.S. and Soviet Union, respectively) were fighting to win. They were playing finite games. In each case, the finite player dropped out because they had lost the will to fight, either by public opinion, economics, or military futility.

The United States foreign policy during the Soviet Occupation of Russia was to eject the Soviets: a finite goal. If the U.S. was unable to eject the Soviets from Afghanistan, the policy would be to make it as expensive as possible for the continued Soviet occupation of Afghanistan: an accidental infinite strategy.

The Soviets eventually did run out of resources and will to occupy Afghanistan.

Game theory is interesting, but harder for me to peg than the formulas we’ve been using to find average cost, marginal costs, etc. Perhaps this is because the formulas a finite. I know what to look for, where the problems begin and end. It’s not clear to me that there is an end to game theory exploration.

References

Sinek, S. (2016, November 8). What Game Theory Teaches Us About War. YouTube.com. Retrieved October 22, 2018, from

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Sentencing

In this assignment, you will consider two hypothetical
criminal cases for sentencing. Then, you will write a paper explaining
the sentences you would give and your reasons for doing so. You will
also consider the value of the alternative sentencing practices.
Please consider both of the following scenarios as you complete this
assignment.

• Scenario A: Defendant A has been caught dealing marijuana
  out of her home. It is her second offense; she has already served time.
  She is the single parent of two small children and has a history of
  spousal abuse.
• Scenario B: Defendant B was driving drunk and caused a car
  crash. The two victims in the other car were significantly injured but
  survived. Defendant B has expressed remorse. This is his first offense,
  and his blood alcohol was close to the legal limit.

Write a paper in which you address the following components:

• Describe the possible traditional and alternative sentences you could give in each case.
• Select the sentence you would assign to each criminal.
• Explain why you would give the selected sentences. Discuss the value of the sentence.
• You should write 1.5 pages in response to EACH scenario (3 pages total).

Be sure to address all prompts and cite your sources in APA format. Submit your final draft to the Dropbox by Sunday, 11:59PM (Mountain).

I NEED THIS DONE ASAP!!!!!   APA FORMAT

Comparing Classical and Item-Response Theories

Item analysis is one of the most important elements of test construction. Statistical techniques can be used to carefully examine how a test item functions. This analysis can reveal how easy or difficult an item is and how well the item discriminates between test-takers. Item analysis can also reveal whether an item functions similarly when administered to different populations or when it is translated into another language. Classical test theory (CTT) and item-response theory (IRT) are the two commonly used methods of assessing test item characteristics.

Classical test theory focuses on an individual’s observed score of an entire instrument, not just individual items. It assumes that test scores have two major influences: consistency factors and inconsistency factors. In other words, there are characteristics of the test taker that are consistent and reflect the amount of whatever is being measured that is possessed by the individual. The inconsistency factors are those error factors from the individual or environment that have nothing to do with what is actually being measured. According to CTT then, a person’s observed score is the true score plus or minus error from these inconsistencies.

Item-response theory, on the other hand, is a set of models that establishes a person’s location on a latent variable using the observed data from a test item. This means that according to IRT, item responses on tests are explained by latent traits, or a trait that is presumed to exist in some quantity but cannot be directly assessed (e.g., intelligence or anxiety). Once you know where a person is on a latent variable scale (for instance, high anxiety or low anxiety), you can compare test takers to each other by seeing where each is on the continuum. According to IRT, each test item has an associated function, showing the probability that an individual with a certain quantity of the latent trait will pass the item.

When a new test is developed, test developers typically begin by creating more items than are needed. Item analysis techniques such as CTT and IRT are then used to “diagnose” items, and bad ones are discarded. IRT techniques can also be used to develop item banks. Items that function similarly can be used interchangeably, and computerized test administration can present a test tailored to the examinee’s ability level.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an explanation of advantages and disadvantages of CTT and IRT. Describe two specific circumstances for which IRT might provide meaningful benefits if applied to the development or implementation of the test that you are proposing for your Final Project, and explain why. Finally, describe two specific circumstances for which CTT might provide meaningful benefits to your test, and explain why. Support your response using relevant literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references in APA format!

RESEARCH PAPER – WORKING OUTLINE INSTRUCTIONS

Using current APA format, you will create a Working Outline as the next step towards your Final Research Paper. This outline will include a title page and references page(s), making any corrections from the Research Topic Paper and Annotated Bibliography Paper feedback.

You will outline your proposed Final Paper into various sections. You must include a brief summary (thesis statement) of the kind of content and scholarly sources you plan to include, giving a clear direction for your Final Research Paper.

You must cite ALL the sources from your Annotated Bibliography paper into the Working Outline (carefully review the provided Working Outline Example!). You can add or delete sources as you build your outline, however, ALL proposed sources (minimum of 10 books and journals) must be cited in the outline!

Sources must be referenced as appropriate, following current APA format, and you must include your references in an APA References page at the end of the Working Outline. Make sure to review the “Working Outline Example” and follow that format in your Working Outline paper that you upload for grading!

Please use APA formatting and in text cititation

Please No Plagiarism

As a counselor, you will be making decisions on how to select evidence-based treatments. In your essay, demonstrate the decision-making process that you will use to choose one evidence-based treatment over another. Write a 1,000-1,250-word reflection essay on how to effectively utilize research in order to guide decision-making processes in the counseling profession. Include the following in your essay:

1. A discussion about how qualitative and quantitative research reports guide the decision-making process.
2. A discussion about the key characteristics of effective writing and publication in counseling and psychological research. How do these characteristics guide the decision-making processes?
3. Select a diagnosis and include an example of how research could assist in treatment.
4. Include a minimum of three scholarly resources in addition to the course textbook.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.