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“Bok Bok”: Exploring the Game of Chicken in Film

Jennifer Firkins Nordstrom () and Jessica K. Sklar ()
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Jennifer Firkins Nordstrom: Linfield College, Mathematics Department
Jessica K. Sklar: Pacific Lutheran University, Mathematics Department

Chapter 104 in Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences, 2021, pp 2707-2728 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract In film, the game of Chicken often arises, either literally or metaphorically, as a conflict between an established member of a community, such as a high school gang or a family dynasty, and an “Other” – a newcomer to the scene. The game may result in a shift in social power or in a reaffirmation of a societal status quo, and it usually plays an important role in the Other’s growth as a person. A familiarity with game theory permits a nuanced interpretation of certain films; this chapter presents the mathematics behind Chicken and discusses a quartet of films – Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Footloose (1984) and (2011), and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) – from a game theoretic perspective.

Keywords: Chicken; Game theory; Rock-paper-scissors; Payoff matrix; Payoff; Zero-sum-game; Non-zero-sum-game; Equilibrium point; Nash equilibrium; Rational player; Cooperation; Defection; Prisoner’s Dilemma; Madman strategy; Power; Gender; Rebel without a cause; Footloose; Crazy rich asians (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-319-57072-3_78

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-57072-3_78

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