A comparison of public and private partner selection models in the Battle of Sexes game

Abstract

We examine the effect of different partner selection models in population diversity and dynamics when agents interact through a coordination game, namely the Battle of Sexes. In this type of game there are usually more than one Nash Equilibrium. Each one can be considered as a niche that a population may occupy. We compare a partner selection model based on private information with a partner selection based on public opinion. Experimental analysis shows that each one is better than random partner selection, but the outcome is different. While in the private based partner selection usually only one of the Nash Equilibrium survives, in the opinion based partner selection each strategy profile is able to resist. These results were obtained when each strategy was confined to its location and no movement was allowed between places. This raises some questions on how diversity can be maintained with mutation and strategy mobility having a negative impact.