Decision Making B

Academic unit or major

Humanities and social science courses

Instructor(s)

Takehiro Inohara

Class Format

Lecture (Zoom)

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

5-6 Tue (W631) / 5-6 Fri (W631)

Class

-

Course Code

LAH.T208

Number of credits

200

Course offered

2020

Offered quarter

1Q

Syllabus updated

Jul 10, 2025

Language

Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

[IMPORTANT]
The content of this syllabus in 2020, especially how classes are conducted, how course materials are provided, and the method of evaluation, may be changed as a result of measures against Novel Coronavirus.
Students who wish to attend should read the information on this course at the following URL.
http://www.shs.ens.titech.ac.jp/~inohara/lab/courses.html

- - - - - - -
This course deals with basics of non-cooperative game theory, which is a mathematical theory of competitive decision making situations, and many variations and generalizations of non-cooperative game theory through discussion, group work, lectures, and working on exercise problems.

The aim of this course is to acquaint the students with the characteristics of the theories by providing mathematical definitions of various concepts and analysis methods of the theories, which include: basic frameworks in non-cooperative game theory such as “games in normal form,” “games in extensive form,” and “repeated games,” and variations and generalizations of non-cooperative game theory such as “metagame theory,” “conflict analysis,” “hypergame theory,” and “soft game theory.”

Course description and aims

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1) State the definitions of concepts used in the mathematical theories of competitive decision making situations;
2) State the analysis methods in the mathematical theories of competitive decision making situations; and
3) State the characteristics of the mathematical theories of competitive decision making situations.

Keywords

games in normal form, games in extensive form, repeated games, metagame analysis, conflict analysis, hypergame theory, soft game theory

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Each theory is dealt with over two or three classes.

In the first class, the students examine examples of decision making situations which can be described by the theory, first individually, second in pairs, then in groups of four, and finally with the class as a whole. Then a lecture on the theory is presented, and the students work on exercise problems. At the end of the class, each student writes and submits a “summary report” on what he/she learned through individual observation, other students’ ideas, the lecture, and exercise problems.

In the following class(es), as in the first class, the students learn analysis methods in the theory through discussion, group work, lectures, and working on exercise problems, then write and submit “summary reports.”

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

Takehiro Inohara, “Rationality and Flexibility,” Keiso-syobo, 2002 (in Japanese) (Section 1.1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5) (ISBN-10: 4326502223, ISBN-13: 978-4326502226)

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Takehiro Inohara, “Emotions and Perception,” Keiso-syobo, 2002 (in Japanese) (ISBN-10: 4326502231, ISBN-13: 978-4326502233). Course materials are found on OCW-i or provided during class.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Assessment will be based on “summary reports” written during each class (50% in total) and the final examination (50%).

If you are absent from a class, regardless of the reason, points are subtracted from the assessment portion of the "attendance and contribution to classes."
There are no make-up assignments.
Read the course materials posted on OCW-i to find out the content of the class you missed.

Related courses

• LAH.T108 ： Decision Making A
• LAH.T307 ： Decision Making C
• LAH.T107 ： Social Modeling A
• LAH.T209 ： Social Modeling B
• LAH.T308 ： Social Modeling C

Prerequisites

Prospective students should have interests in decision making problems. Students must have successfully completed “Decision Making A” or have equivalent knowledge.

Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).

Prof. Takehiro Inohara, inostaff[at]shs.ens.titech.ac.jp

[IMPORTANT]
The content of this syllabus in 2020, especially how classes are conducted, how course materials are provided, and the method of evaluation, may be changed as a result of measures against Novel Coronavirus.
Students who wish to attend should read the information on this course at the following URL.
http://www.shs.ens.titech.ac.jp/~inohara/lab/courses.html

Other

This course includes the content of science.