Sayers et al look in Some descriptive aspects of two-person non-zero-sum games at variations of the prisoner dilemma. They had two participants (α and β) pressing press either a black (1) or a red (2) button. In one example they used the matrix: enter image description here

In the discussion they write:

In none of these games does the collaborative strategy, (α:1 and β:1) or black-black, occur more frequently than it would if subjects pressed red and black at random with equal probability.

Is this finding replicated in other studies or is it only a non-replicateable one-of-finding? In case there was a replication and it was better then random, did still a significant number of participants chose against picking the collaborative option?

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    $\begingroup$ How about calling this a 2-by-2 game instead of a prisoner's dilemma? $\endgroup$
    – Giskard
    Jun 9 at 21:30
  • $\begingroup$ @Giskard : If you have a better idea how to formulate the question, I'm happy for you to edit it into a better form. $\endgroup$
    – Christian
    Jun 9 at 21:43
  • $\begingroup$ I remember having seen a similar game being called the harmony game, but I'm not aware of experimental studies. $\endgroup$
    – VARulle
    Jun 10 at 0:35

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