Fisher discussed the Chicken Dilemma with two options for each actor: to step aside or to not step aside.  This matrix shows the vulnerability of one actor choosing to step aside while the other doesn’t and the “best” solution is for both actors to step aside.  However, because of these vulnerabilities and lack of trust, both actors fail to step aside and aggressions grow.  A real-life example of this was the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I remember learning about different game theory in my Intro. to International Relations class, and I thought it was particularly interesting that Fisher noted, “threats are useless, though, without credibility”.  We saw this in the escalation of the Cold War when the Soviet Union moved nuclear weapons into Cuba to test US threats.  Although these social dilemmas are evaluations of human action, they can be extrapolated to high-stake, international issues, such as the Cold War.  It is important to focus on cooperation rather than stubbornly sticking to one side of an argument, whether at the personal or international level.