Evolution of indirect reciprocity by image scoring
Abstract
Darwinian evolution has to provide an explanation for cooperative behaviour. Theories of cooperation are based on kin selection (dependent on genetic relatedness), group selection and reciprocal altruism. The idea of reciprocal altruism usually involves direct reciprocity: repeated encounters between the same individuals allow for the return of an altruistic act by the recipient. Here we present a new theoretical framework, which is based on indirect reciprocity and does not require the same two individuals ever to meet again. Individual selection can nevertheless favour cooperative strategies directed towards recipients that have helped others in the past. Cooperation pays because it confers the image of a valuable community member to the cooperating individual. We present computer simulations and analytic models that specify the conditions required for evolutionary stability of indirect reciprocity. We show that the probability of knowing the 'image' of the recipient must exceed the cost-to-benefit ratio of the altruistic act. We propose that the emergence of indirect reciprocity was a decisive step for the evolution of human societies.
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Individual-based simulations show that if the cost-to-benefit ratio is sufficiently low, and the amount of information about the co-player's past sufficiently high, cooperation based on discrimination can emerge.
“Individual-based simulations show that if the cost-to-benefit ratio is sufficiently low, and the amount of information about the co-player's past sufficiently high, cooperation based on discrimination can emerge.”
From Evolution of indirect reciprocity (2005) · cites this paper as [36]
In the resulting population, help is channelled towards those who help.
“In the resulting population, help is channelled towards those who help 35-37 .”
From Evolution of indirect reciprocity (2005) · cites this paper as [36]
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- Authors
- Nowak, M. A., & Sigmund, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Oxford (GB)
- University of Vienna (AT)
- Corresponding author
- Nowak, Martin A.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 1998-06
- Volume
- 393
- Issue
- 6685
- Pages
- 573-577
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2154715890
- Semantic Scholar
- e53f005beb141f20c2ee313592ca6cf14e962421
- Cited by
- 2,700
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 102 · 2025: 114 · 2024: 99 · 2023: 124 · 2022: 116 · 2021: 117 · 2020: 105 · 2019: 107 · 2018: 124 · 2017: 117 · 2016: 138 · 2015: 129 · 2014: 155 · 2013: 110 · 2012: 117
- FWCI
- 96.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- IIASA PURE (International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
- Keywords
- indirect reciprocity, evolution of cooperation, image scoring, reputation, evolutionary stability, reciprocal altruism, kin selection, group selection, individual selection, benefit-cost ratio, evolution of human society
- MeSH terms
- Altruism, Computer Simulation, Cooperative Behavior, Biological Evolution, Helping Behavior, Humans, Mutation, Selection, Genetic
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