A model by theoretical biologists demonstrates how superstitious beliefs can become established in a society's social norms, guiding the behavior of large groups. The research suggests that even irrational beliefs can be beneficial when correlated with others' actions, leading to coordinated behaviors.
Princeton University researchers Olivia Chu and Corina Tarnita investigate how cooperation emerges in human populations, finding that smaller groups allow cooperation to thrive while limiting destructive influence. They also find that allowing for lone individuals with barriers to group entry enhances cooperation.
Scientists found that a strategy called 'extortion' is unbeatable, as it alternates between cooperation and egoism to force opponents to cooperate. This tactic can lead to significant gains for the 'extortioner', even when competing against cooperative players.
Researchers found that people trust their own abilities more than AI advice, even with flawless systems. A study using the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game showed that two-thirds of human decisions disagreed with AI suggestions, regardless of accuracy.
Researchers used game theory to programme robots that can anticipate human movements and respond safely. The breakthrough could aid robots in sports training, physical rehabilitation, or shared driving, complementing human capabilities.
The study found that MDMA increases activity in brain regions linked to social processing, particularly when interacting with trustworthy players. This suggests that MDMA may be a valuable tool in treating psychiatric conditions like PTSD by enhancing cooperation and rebuilding relationships.
Researchers create a new model for collective behavior within the brain, bridging the gap between EEG waves and random fluctuations. The technique has potential to reduce stress and onset of conditions like PTSD in military personnel.
A new study from the University of British Columbia and Princeton University found that intense competition fosters pro-social behavior, including sharing, co-operation, and volunteering. This results in higher levels of contribution to collective pools and reported increases in generalized trust among coworkers.
Researchers outline a novel view of biochemistry as a signaling game between genes and their associated macromolecules, where sender and receiver interactions lead to biochemical reactions. This approach reveals the presence of molecular deception and conflict of interest between gene players, with potential implications for understand...
Scientists developed a new mathematical model using game theory to explain the biodiversity paradox, which predicts that hundreds of plankton species can coexist in open sea water despite limited resources. The model shows that biodiversity increases exponentially with the number of resources, leading to a large number of potential spe...
A new study suggests that cancer treatment should be viewed as a game where physicians can exploit their knowledge of the cancer's evolutionary dynamics to develop flexible strategic treatment plans. By continuously adjusting drugs and doses, physicians can delay or prevent cancer progression caused by resistance.
Researchers from IST Austria introduce a new framework to overcome social dilemmas and foster cooperation, considering feedback that affects players' actions. The framework extends the theory of repeated games, enabling the design of systems that maximize cooperation.
A series of studies found no correlation between people's belief in free will and their moral behavior, including generosity and honesty. The researchers suggest that the field needs to rethink the connection between free will and morality.
A new model examines the relative role of random interactions between individuals in a crowd compared to interactions stemming from their eagerness to be on their way. The study reveals that internal interactions between pedestrians can be negligible, and external factors such as crowd pressure drive the flow of people toward exits.
A team of scientists created a new model to explain behaviors like anonymous donations and subtle art styles. They found that hiding signals can be a signal in itself, conveying confidence or unconcern with others.
Research suggests that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at higher risk of being bullied due to their willingness to accept unfair behavior and reduced reciprocation in trading games. The study found that children with ASD were 37% less likely to reciprocate fair offers and three times more likely to accept unfair offers...
A new study reveals that intelligence is a primary factor in achieving success through cooperation. Researchers found that individuals with higher IQs displayed significantly higher levels of cooperation, leading to increased earnings. Personality traits like agreeableness and conscientiousness had a smaller impact on behavior.
A team of researchers analyzed how diverse social norms impact cooperation using game theoretical methods. They found that adopting 'dividualism' leads to the extinction of a norm assessing helpful behavior towards bad individuals, contradicting previous research based on individualism.
Researchers developed a new framework to analyze the effects of crosstalk on cooperation dynamics in groups. The model shows that crosstalk hinders the evolution of cooperation and requires strategies with the correct level of forgiveness. This has significant implications for understanding human behavior in social dilemmas.
A social dilemma experiment found that punishment is ineffective in promoting cooperation among players, with players instead replacing defection with punishment. The study suggests that punishment has a demoralizing effect and reduces the incentive to choose cooperation over competition.
Researchers developed a new approach to modeling pedestrian behavior in collisions, combining game theory with the Fokker-Planck equation. Experiments confirm that the calculated paths match actual paths taken, suggesting a reliable solution for optimizing public spaces.
Researchers captured dramatic footage of wild cuttlefish fighting over a mate, showcasing their unique posturing, skin displays, and aggressive behavior. The analysis suggests that this behavior follows the mutual assessment model of game theory, indicating a high level of cognitive ability.
Researchers created a set of axioms for robust cooperative strategies, reducing computational hurdles. Players with these strategies and memories of length k cooperate if all players took the same actions for the last k rounds, giving rise to all-or-none strategies.
Researchers found that non-cooperative norms initially dominate, followed by a norm allowing complex judgment of good and bad behavior. Cooperation then spreads as multiple cooperative norms coexist.
Researchers at Georgia Tech used game theory to study individual behavior during influenza outbreaks and found that empathy of infected persons is key to eradicating the illness. Healthy individuals' attempts to protect themselves cannot stop the disease from spreading.
Researchers at HEC Montréal found that cooperative civil society organizations can increase government payoffs, as they become more efficient and allocate time to productive activities. This surprising finding suggests that corruption can be a net positive for governments.
A new framework guided by game theory, known as the Blame Game, can help policymakers decide whether to retaliate against a cyber attack. The framework considers vulnerability and potential consequences of assigning blame, helping nations make informed decisions in the face of increasing cybersecurity threats.
Researchers found that only early adopters benefit from switching to PPS, while MBG becomes a dominant strategy under competition, forcing all retailers to switch to MBGs regardless of their benefits. The study reveals how each retailer responds and reacts to its competitor's adoption of PPS or MBG.
Researchers developed a new theory of cooperation that avoids making moral assessments in specific cases, promoting more effective cooperation. The 'Staying' rule assesses individuals based on their reputation, allowing good cooperators to thrive even among freeloaders.
A new study from Vanderbilt University uses game theory to simulate re-identification risks and strikes an optimal balance between data sharing and privacy. The approach compares various data sharing policies in terms of risk and scientific utility, providing a more realistic estimate of the risk.
The author's approach to decision processes uses game theory and spatial geometry to create a unified deterministic extension. This foundation allows for the extrapolation of local behaviors to entire social structures, with significant consequences for understanding stable social structures.
Game theory and algorithms improve security by randomizing patrols to evade attackers' predictions. Real-world applications have led to measurable improvements in security for US Coast Guard ferry protection since 2011.
A Penn-led team will use game theory, evolutionary modeling, and massive datasets to develop reproducible methods for studying human social behavior and collective identity. The project aims to improve the speed, scale, and rigor of social science research.
Researchers at Georgia Tech developed a unified approach to study behavior's impact on the environment, proposing an 'oscillating tragedy of the commons' that considers co-evolution of actions and environment. Cooperation can prevent tragedies, especially when incentives are aligned with environmental conditions.
Researchers found asymmetrical power encourages extortionate behavior in a model and experimental setup, with subordinates better off playing along. Extortionists succeed only if they maintain a well-measured degree of friendliness.
A study by Tsuyoshi Takeuchi found that aerial displays in butterflies are not due to a war of attrition between males, but rather an inability to distinguish the sex of their opponents, leading to prolonged courtship behavior.
Researchers found that pre-assessment of moral free riders can stabilize costly moral systems and promote cooperation. This approach considers a pool account where individuals can contribute in advance, allowing for more efficient detection of those unwilling to pay for justice.
Researchers used game theory to analyze the interaction between rhino poachers and gamekeepers. They found that anti-poaching measures should focus on changing the game rather than tilting it in favor of the gamekeeper.
A new study suggests that socially enforced nepotism, a concept that expands the classic theory of kin selection, may explain why people are altruistic towards distant kin. The simulations show that helping distant relatives can increase one's reputation and lead to more help from others, improving social rules and enforcing them.
A new study published in Scientific Reports found that smaller groups with longer memories are more likely to evolve cooperative strategies. This suggests that human societies' powerful memory capacity may have fed our ability to cooperate.
Researchers use AI and game theory to improve anti-poaching patrols, reducing poacher activities per kilometer and saving time and energy. The system also incorporates complex terrain information and natural transit paths to create practical patrol routes.
A UW-led research team will use a new scientific framework to model and defend against stealthy, continuous computer hacking attacks known as advanced persistent threats. The team aims to analyze the interactions between these threats and cyber defense mechanisms to combat them.
Recent studies by UCLA neuroscientists indicate that our brains may be primed for empathy and altruism, with areas like the amygdala and anterior insula linked to experiencing pain and emotion. Temporarily disrupting prefrontal cortex activity can increase generosity, particularly towards those in need.
In a climate game experiment, researchers found that 40% of participants chose representatives with extortionate strategies. However, these strategies ultimately led to successful outcomes due to the benefit for all parties involved. The results suggest that such strategies could be beneficial in avoiding dangerous climate change.
A UMD-led team has solved the Colonel Blotto game theory scenario, a two-party conflict used to analyze election outcomes. The new algorithm can help political strategists and business leaders make better decisions by computing the best resource investment strategy for any competitor.
Houmansadr aims to create a theoretical model to lead to new anti-blocking tools, analyzing current censor-circumvention systems and employing game theory, network science, and information theory. Emerging communication devices like content caching and cloud computing will be used to design sustainable ways to circumvent censorship.
Researchers at Oxford University conducted a series of experiments that challenged traditional economic game assumptions. The results showed that people are more generous towards computers, which cannot benefit from cooperation, and that misunderstanding the game can lead to altruism in some cases.
Researchers used game theory to model the dynamics of farmer decisions and their effects on pest populations. The study found that farmers' perceptions of profit and loss, as well as communication networks, can influence pest control strategies.
A University of Maryland study suggests that higher levels of societal mobility lead to decreased ethnocentric behavior. In mobile societies, individuals are more likely to treat others as individuals rather than groups, resulting in less hostility towards other cultures.
A study by UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business found that frequent discounting is the most optimal strategy for retailers to maximize revenues. This approach balances the trade-off between dynamic and static pricing, allowing retailers to charge high prices when demand is high while maintaining flexibility. By doing so, retailers can...
A computational model suggests that generosity and selfishness can be both fast and effortless, depending on the person and context. The model indicates that people are happier when mistaken generosity doesn't happen, highlighting the importance of focusing on others' thoughts and experiences.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology developed a mathematical theory on game intelligence in team sports. They studied former NHL player Nicklas Lidström's moves during games and found that he used principles such as minimizing the opponents' best alternative to gain an edge.
Physicists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München use game theory to explain how bosons, which like to cluster together, form multiple groups. This understanding has led to insights into superfluidity and technologies like superconductivity.
Transparency of network connections and reputation enhances cooperation, leading to a community of highly cooperative individuals. The study suggests that in a world with more accessible information, people may form insular communities, and belonging to such groups is beneficial.
A new model developed by Harvard researchers explains how motives impact cooperation and why people trust genuine altruists over those who open envelopes. The 'envelope game' helps capture the notion that people value principle-driven behavior, especially in situations where cooperation comes with a cost.
Researchers used game theory to model cooperation among cancer cells, finding that free-riding cells can outcompete producing ones. Computer simulations and experiments with pancreatic cancer cells validated the predictions, suggesting new insight into cancer dynamics.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have solved heads-up limit Texas hold'em poker, a challenge problem for artificial intelligence going back over 40 years. The breakthrough is attributed to general algorithmic advances that make game-theoretic reasoning more tractable.
Researchers found that a sequential use of reward and punishment can promote cooperation in collaborative endeavors. The study suggests that initially rewarding minor cooperators and then punishing free riders can lead to better outcomes.
Researchers found cooperative strategies were initially successful but ultimately collapsed as players adjusted payoffs to maximize rewards, leading to a rise in selfish strategies.
The study reveals that cooperation emerges when individuals assemble into groups that interact through repeated Public Goods Games. The authors propose an evolutionary game theory model, which suggests a large set of possible responses depending on previous levels of group cooperation. Ultimately, the most successful strategy is 'All-o...