Stochasticity in economic losses increases the value of reputation in indirect reciprocity.

Details

Ressource 1Download: dos Santos et al. Sci Rep 2015.pdf (296.12 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: author
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_C45DC4160515
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Stochasticity in economic losses increases the value of reputation in indirect reciprocity.
Journal
Scientific Reports
Author(s)
dos Santos M., Placì S., Wedekind C.
ISSN
2045-2322 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
2045-2322
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2015
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
5
Pages
18182
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Recent theory predicts harsh and stochastic conditions to generally promote the evolution of cooperation. Here, we test experimentally whether stochasticity in economic losses also affects the value of reputation in indirect reciprocity, a type of cooperation that is very typical for humans. We used a repeated helping game with observers. One subject (the "Unlucky") lost some money, another one (the "Passer-by") could reduce this loss by accepting a cost to herself, thereby building up a reputation that could be used by others in later interactions. The losses were either stable or stochastic, but the average loss over time and the average efficiency gains of helping were kept constant in both treatments. We found that players with a reputation of being generous were generally more likely to receive help by others, such that investing into a good reputation generated long-term benefits that compensated for the immediate costs of helping. Helping frequencies were similar in both treatments, but players with a reputation to be selfish lost more resources under stochastic conditions. Hence, returns on investment were steeper when losses varied than when they did not. We conclude that this type of stochasticity increases the value of reputation in indirect reciprocity.
Keywords
Game Theory, Humans, Models, Theoretical
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
16/11/2015 11:02
Last modification date
08/12/2020 7:10
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