Everyone can have an impact on the dynamics of a group, particularly if they join forces with others What interested us most, however, was how the individual can contribute to the development of stable cooperation within the group, says Hilbe. The researchers were actually able to calculate mathematically which strategies promote cooperation. According to their findings, individual players should act generously in principle to avoid ending up in a spiral of refusal when another has acted egoistically once – possibly due to a misunderstanding. On the other hand, individual players should not be too generous either and should consistently punish egoistic behaviour. However, the strategic opportunities available to the individual always decline the more people there are involved in the game. Hence, to ensure the success of a joint strategy in large groups, it makes sense to form an alliance. According to the calculations, whether or not this tactic must be re-negotiated for each individual round or is agreed from the outset is of secondary importance. What is crucial to the shared objective is how many players join forces. But an alliance does not necessarily have to commit itself to a social approach. On the contrary, it can form an extortioner group. There are no limits to extortion when sufficient numbers cooperate, notes Traulsen, explaining the result of the model. Yet even this phenomenon can have a positive effect, as this group prompts the others to behave socially. As a result – according to the model – it can generate a positive group dynamic among the outsiders and promote cooperation to some extent.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 13:24:19 +0000
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