Work

Risk aversion can promote cooperation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cooperative dynamics are central to our understanding of many phenomena in living and complex systems. However, we lack a universal mechanism to explain the emergence of cooperation. We present a novel framework for modelling social dilemma games with an arbitrary number of players by combining reaction networks, methods from quantum mechanics applied to stochastic complex systems, game theory and stochastic simulations of molecular reactions. Using this framework, we propose a novel and robust mechanism for cooperation based on risk aversion that leads to cooperative behaviour in population games. Rather than individuals seeking to maximise payouts in the long run, individuals seek to obtain a minimum set of resources with a given level of confidence and in a limited time span. We show that this mechanism can lead to the emergence of new equilibria in a range of social dilemma games.

Source: Journal of Physics Complexity

DOI: 10.1088/2632-072x/adb234

Authors: Jay Armas, Wout Merbis, Janusz M Meylahn, Soroush Rafiee Rad, Mauricio J del Razo

Institution: University of Copenhagen

Language: English

Topic: Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,600

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft