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Cooperation beats selfishness more often than scientists thought

A new study reveals that cooperation does not require close family ties or reputation, but rather opponent-specific responses, leading to the emergence of cooperative behavior. This finding challenges conventional evolutionary theory and has implications for the design of more collaborative artificial intelligence systems.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 20, 2026

How fear and social pressure are 'overarming' the US

A Dartmouth study maps the interplay of personal choice and social networks contributing to the US being one of the world's most heavily armed countries. The researchers describe how individual incentives can lead to overarming, a phenomenon where collective costs outweigh individual benefits of firearm ownership.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 3, 2026

When ‘sloppy’ decisions are actually smart

Researchers found that people who are less precise in their decision-making can outperform those who are more rational in certain social situations. This is because 'sloppy' decisions can help individuals avoid the pitfalls of highly sensitive learners, who prioritize short-term gains over long-term benefits. In contrast, in other situ...

SourceUniversiteit van Amsterdam·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 29, 2026

Climate change and the private solution trap

A new study found that wealthier nations tend to invest more in private solutions, exacerbating climate change. The research involved over 7,500 participants from 34 countries, who took part in a simulation on how economic resources are allocated to address climate change.

SourceUniversità di Bologna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 24, 2026

You don't need to be very altruistic to stop an epidemic

Researchers used mathematical modeling to find that even people with minimal concern for others would choose to self-isolate when sick, suppressing diseases in the long-term. The study suggests that only a small amount of altruism is needed to achieve indefinite suppression as an alternative to herd immunity.

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 23, 2026

How to incentivize problem solving in groups

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that rewarding 'reformers' who improve the collective prediction regardless of their own personal accuracy leads to more accurate and diverse outcomes. This approach is more effective than rewarding 'niche experts' or 'experts', which can lead to a loss of diversity and accuracy.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 28, 2026

Nash equilibria: The hidden math behind predator–prey behaviors

Researchers used game theory and individual-based models to show how attack and defense strategies emerge as stable patterns, providing a theoretical framework for understanding predator–prey interactions. The study highlights the importance of sensory abilities for survival and challenges traditional views of predator-prey relationships.

SourceUniversity of Toyama·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 22, 2026

The suspension of the foreign corrupt practices act generated record gains for companies involved in overseas corruption cases

The suspension of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act generated record gains for companies involved in overseas corruption cases. Companies that had been subject to investigations or sanctions under the FCPA collectively gained around $39 billion, with individual companies recording increases in market capitalization of billions of dollars.

SourceUniversità di Bologna·JournalInternational Organization·DateDec 23, 2025

Environmental variability and migration promote the evolution of cooperation among humans: A simulation-based analysis

This study investigates how environmental variability and human migration influence the evolution of cooperation among humans. Simulation results reveal that cooperation is more likely to evolve when these factors are sufficiently high, hindering non-cooperative groups and encouraging cooperative groups.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalChaos Solitons & Fractals·DateDec 11, 2025

Teens who play video games with gambling-like elements more likely to start real betting, study suggests

A new longitudinal study found that young people who engage in gaming habits with gambling-like elements are more likely to gamble with real money. The research team urges policymakers to broaden regulations beyond loot boxes and includes social casino games, prize wheels, and gambling videos in the scope.

SourceTaylor & Francis Group·JournalInternational Gambling Studies·TypeObservational study·DateNov 19, 2025

Why we trust people who grew up with less

A study published by the American Psychological Association found that people tend to trust individuals from lower-income backgrounds more than those from privileged upbringings. The research suggests that people draw a clear line between someone's childhood and their current socioeconomic status.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 22, 2025

Attention can be used to drive cooperation – new study

Researchers at the University of Birmingham discovered that presenting information in areas where participants are naturally drawn to it can influence cooperative choices. This is particularly effective when cooperation information is placed at the bottom of the screen, contrary to natural reading patterns.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalCommunications Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 17, 2025

Hiring strategies

A new study in JSTAT introduces a hiring strategy model that suggests dividing candidates into two groups: those to be evaluated and rejected upfront, and those to be selected based on their performance relative to previous hires. The optimal approach depends on the company's objective, balancing quality and speed.

SourceSissa Medialab·JournalJournal of Statistical Mechanics Theory and Experiment·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 10, 2025

The math behind social distancing: the rules that influence epidemic behavior

A research team identified simple rules governing decision-making during epidemics, which balance infection costs and social distancing. The guidelines predict population behavior based on disease reproduction number and infection cost, offering a new tool for governments to design intervention strategies.

SourceInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 27, 2025

Love thy neighbor

Researchers at ISTA discovered novel network structures that boost cooperation throughout a system. These structures have the potential to be applied in biology, particularly in bioreactors, to speed up evolution and cultivate microorganisms. The findings could also improve cooperation in computer science-based systems.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 6, 2024

Study uses game theory to rethink our pandemic responses

Dartmouth researchers propose a new way of thinking about masking and social distancing rules using game theory, considering them as two distinct actions. The study finds that people respond differently to these measures based on their perception of the disease's severity, trending towards masking or no protective action over time.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 4, 2024

Natural selection may create inter-species exploitation

A modeling study suggests that one-sided interspecies cooperation can emerge and persist over time, with only one species benefiting. The authors use evolutionary game theory and the prisoner's dilemma to model this phenomenon, finding that natural selection may favor asymmetric states where one species exploits another.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateSep 3, 2024

When is too much knowledge a bad thing?

A new study suggests that increased knowledge can backfire when individuals prioritize their own interests over the greater good. The 'knowledge curse' concept, coined by Cornell University economists, highlights the potential for enhanced understanding to hinder cooperation and lead to worse outcomes.

SourceCornell University·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateAug 7, 2024

The time it takes a person to decide can predict their preference

A recent study published in PLOS Biology reveals that people can infer hidden social preferences by observing how fast others make social decisions. By analyzing response times and options, participants were able to predict the other person's preference even if they didn't know what choices were made.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 20, 2024

Does simple guesswork lead to more cooperation than complicated calculus?

A team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania explored how Bayesian and abductive reasoning can be used to model social dynamics. They found that in some scenarios, simple guesswork can lead to more cooperation than complicated calculus, while in others it may result in less cooperation due to stricter judgment criteria.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 25, 2024

A win–win approach: maximizing Wi-Fi performance using game theory

A team of researchers has developed a novel approach using game theory to maximize Wi-Fi performance by optimizing user positions. By analyzing the incentives for all users, their potential game model condenses the impact of new users and inter-user interference into a single function.

SourceShibaura Institute of Technology·JournalIEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 22, 2024

Can’t stand gossip? New research suggests that gabbing about others is ‘not always a bad thing’

Gossiping provides a social benefit by disseminating information about people's reputations, helping recipients connect with cooperative individuals while avoiding selfish ones. This allows gossipers to gain an evolutionary advantage as their actions influence others' behavior and encourage cooperation.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 21, 2024

Does staying informed help us cooperate?

A new game theory model developed at ISTA finds that both information and ignorance can lead to cooperative outcomes in changing environments. The model, based on stochastic games and algebra, quantifies the benefits of ignorance in around 80-90% cases, highlighting counter-intuitive instances where it is optimal for cooperation.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 23, 2023

The evolution of societal cooperation

Researchers developed a model that considers multiple coexisting social norms and studied how these norms might compete as individuals learn from one another. Key findings include the success of 'stern judging' in promoting cooperation, particularly in situations where individuals show a preference for interacting within their own group.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 8, 2023

Fighting intolerance with physics

A complex system economic model shows that inequality boosts intolerance, but redistribution of wealth can prevent its spread. Economically disfavored individuals from minority groups may prioritize helping wealthy individuals over their own group when discriminated against.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalChaos An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science·DateMar 14, 2023

Goethe University study: Investors also suffer in unregulated competitions for freely available resources

A new game theory study by Professor Claudius Gros finds that unregulated competition can lead to catastrophic poverty for investors, with profits scaling as 1/N². Cooperation among investors can avoid this damage, resulting in a net profit corresponding to the number of investors.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 8, 2023