Payoff Matrix
The payoff matrix for the game is shown below:
| at least one other person cooperates | all others defect | |
|---|---|---|
| cooperate | 0 | 0 |
| defect | 1 | −10 |
When the volunteer's dilemma takes place between only two players, the game gets the character of the game 'chicken'. As seen by the payoff matrix, there is no dominant strategy in the volunteer’s dilemma. In a mixed-strategy Nash equilibrium, an increase in N players will reduce the likelihood that any one player volunteers and will decrease the likelihood that at least one person volunteers, which is a result of the bystander effect.
Read more about this topic: Volunteer's Dilemma
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