The future of theoretical evolutionary game theory

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 378(1876)

Published: March 20, 2023

Evolutionary game theory is a truly interdisciplinary subject that goes well beyond the limits of biology. Mathematical minds get hooked up in simple models for evolution and often gradually move into other parts evolutionary biology or ecology. Social scientists realize how much they can learn from thinking transfer insight was originally generated Computer use their algorithms to explore new field where machines not only environment, but also each other. The breadth focus on few very popular issues, such as cooperation, comes at price: several insights are re-discovered different fields under labels with heroes modelling traditions. For example, reciprocity spatial structure treated differently. Will we continue develop things parallel? Or converge single set ideas, tradition eventually software repository? will these cross-fertilize other, learning engaging constructive exchange between fields? Ultimately, popularity rests its explanatory power, intuitive character models. This article part theme issue ‘Half century games: synthesis theory, application future directions’.

Language: Английский

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Specialism and generalism in social animals in variable environments

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1922)

Published: March 20, 2025

An important advantage to sociality is division of labour, which often associated with specialization group members, such as the polymorphic subcastes ant workers. Given this advantage, it puzzling that many social groups do not show clear specialization. Among ants, workers closely related species have one, two or even three polymorphisms. The degree specialism asocial animals depends on environmental variability because specialists will perform poorly in some conditions. Here, we use a numeric model consider whether magnitude and type can help explain diversity cooperative groups. By finding optimal distribution members along single dimension for tasks, predict when should be composed specialists, generalists, both these (trimodal) moderate specialists. Generalism predicted more environments are unstable task importance—rather than demand—varies but likelihood complete all tasks range experienced benefit strongest invariable there selection redundancy workforce, may widely observed inactivity insects. This article part theme issue ‘Division labour key driver evolution’.

Language: Английский

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Construct jangle or construct mangle? Thinking straight about (nonredundant) psychological constructs

Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 5(4), P. 576 - 590

Published: Oct. 1, 2021

Psychological science aims to make the abstract measurable and quantifiable. As psychologists it is our challenge charge capture complex abstractions (e.g., authoritarianism, prejudice, depression) accurately with transparency. But recent concerns have been raised about proliferation of constructs across psychology sub-disciplines, construct redundancy now rife. Critics that we do not take seriously validity, especially discriminant which exacerbates replication crisis. Here author outlines problem discusses at a conceptual level how latent modeling can aptly their interrelations without error, isolating helping circumvent validity problems. At core issue lies mathematical reality seems be largely ignored in psychology: if correlations within between indicators are roughly comparable, factors will correlate near-perfectly thus redundant. Thoughts field arrived this juncture discussed, along recommendation avoid using cute labels jingle-jangle fallacies) represent very serious problems (better labeled as fallacies). Recommendations for thinking straight constructs, validation, uniqueness, offered.

Language: Английский

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Moral disciplining: The cognitive and evolutionary foundations of puritanical morality

Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 46

Published: Sept. 16, 2022

Abstract Why do many societies moralize apparently harmless pleasures, such as lust, gluttony, alcohol, drugs, and even music dance? they erect temperance, asceticism, sobriety, modesty, piety cardinal moral virtues? According to existing theories, this puritanical morality cannot be reduced concerns for harm fairness: It must emerge from cognitive systems that did not evolve cooperation (e.g., disgust-based “purity” concerns). Here, we argue that, despite appearances, is no exception the cooperative function of cognition. emerges in response a key feature cooperation, namely (ultimately) long-term strategy, requiring (proximately) self-control appetites immediate gratification. Puritanical moralizations condemn behaviors which, although inherently harmless, are perceived indirectly facilitating uncooperative behaviors, by impairing required refrain cheating. Drinking, immodest clothing, unruly dance condemned stimulating short-term impulses, thus violence, adultery, free-riding). Overindulgence bodily pleasures masturbation, gluttony) making people slave their urges, altering abilities resist future antisocial temptations. Daily self-discipline, ascetic pious ritual observance cultivating honor prosocial obligations. We review psychological, historical, ethnographic evidence supporting account. use theory explain fall puritanism western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic (WEIRD) societies, discuss cultural evolution norms. Explaining norms does require adding mechanisms unrelated our models mind.

Language: Английский

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Opportunities to advance the synthesis of ecology and evolution

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 26(S1)

Published: Feb. 2, 2023

Despite decades of research on the interactions between ecology and evolution, opportunities still remain to further integrate two disciplines, especially when considering multispecies systems. Here, we discuss such opportunities. First, traditional emphasis distinction evolutionary ecological processes should be relaxed as it is particularly unhelpful in study microbial communities, where very notion species hard define. Second, key theory adaptation exported hierarchical levels higher than populations make sense biodiversity dynamics. Together, argue that broadening our perspective eco-evolutionary dynamics more inclusive all biodiversity, both phylogenetically hierarchically, will open up fertile new directions help us address one major scientific challenges time, is, understand predict changes face rapid environmental change.

Language: Английский

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The evolution of cheating in viruses

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Nov. 26, 2021

Abstract The success of many viruses depends upon cooperative interactions between viral genomes. However, whenever cooperation occurs, there is the potential for ‘cheats’ to exploit that cooperation. We suggest that: (1) biology makes particularly susceptible cheating; (2) cheats are common across a wide range viruses, including entities already well studied, such as defective interfering genomes, and satellite viruses. Consequently, evolutionary theory cheating could help us understand manipulate dynamics, while also offer new opportunities study evolution cheating.

Language: Английский

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Punitive justice serves to restore reciprocal cooperation in three small-scale societies

Evolution and Human Behavior, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 44(5), P. 502 - 514

Published: April 19, 2023

Language: Английский

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Open questions in the social lives of viruses

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 36(11), P. 1551 - 1567

Published: Nov. 1, 2023

Abstract Social interactions among viruses occur whenever multiple viral genomes infect the same cells, hosts, or populations of hosts. Viral social range from cooperation to conflict, throughout world, and affect every stage lifecycle. The ubiquity these means that they can determine population dynamics, evolutionary trajectory, clinical progression infections. At time, in raise new questions for theory, providing opportunities test extend existing frameworks within evolution. Many exist at this interface: Insights into evolution have immediate implications our understanding fundamental biology manifestation diseases. However, are currently limited because biologists only rarely study viruses. Here, we bridge gap by (1) summarizing ways which interact socially, including consequences evolvability; (2) outlining some open raised could challenge concepts theory; (3) illustrative examples, data sources, conceptual questions, studying natural history diverse pervasive, with potential explore challenges present biology.

Language: Английский

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The collapse of cooperation during range expansion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Nature Microbiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 9(5), P. 1220 - 1230

Published: March 5, 2024

Language: Английский

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Social bond dynamics and the evolution of helping

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(11)

Published: March 7, 2024

Empiricists often struggle to apply game theory models real-life cases of animal cooperation. One reason is that many examples cooperation occur in stable groups, where individuals form social bonds influence exchanges help ways are not well described by previous models, including the extent reciprocity and how relationships initiated. We present a model exploring conditions under which between group members promote In model, build up from similar way as strength association increases learning, Rescorla–Wagner rule. The turn affect partner choice helping amounts. has mechanism for bonded pairs, can evolve toward either loose or strict reciprocation. Several aspects inspired observations food sharing vampire bats. find small neighborhoods required evolutionary stability helping, sizes, if larger groups temporary (daily) smaller groupings. costs need be fairly low, while benefits substantial. evolves neither immediate nor very strict. Individuals request based on bond strength, but there also an evolved preference initiating with new members. contrast, different come into contact, tendency avoid forming groups.

Language: Английский

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