Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Indirect reciprocity among imperfect individuals.

Michael A Fishman1

  • 1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. mafish@post.tau.ac.il

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|November 8, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Reciprocal cooperation, even with involuntary defection, can be evolutionarily stable. Cooperation persists when individuals occasionally forgive failures to help, highlighting stability among imperfect participants.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Restorative neuromodulation for chronic lumbar spine pain secondary to a long construct spinal fusion: a case report.

Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong)·2026
Same author

Thoracic medial branch peripheral nerve stimulation for adjacent segment pain in a patient with a long construct fusion: a case report.

Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong)·2026
Same author

Differential target multiplexed SCS (DTM SCS): a rational hypothesis.

Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)·2026
Same author

History of SCS and patient-focused innovations: a manufacturer's perspective on the role of technology.

Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)·2026
Same author

The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) Guidelines and Consensus on the Definition, Current Evidence, Clinical Use and Future Applications for Physiologic Closed-Loop Controlled Neuromodulation in Chronic Pain: A NEURON Group Project.

Journal of pain research·2025
Same author

The Neurostimulation Appropriateness Consensus Committee (NACC)®: Recommendations for Spinal Cord Stimulation Long-Term Outcome Optimization and Salvage Therapy.

Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society·2024

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Game theory
  • Behavioral ecology

Background:

  • Reciprocal cooperation relies on benefits of receiving help outweighing donation costs.
  • Individuals in good condition donate to ensure future aid, leading to reciprocity among those needing occasional help.
  • Involuntary defection occurs when individuals needing help cannot provide it, impacting cooperation dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the effects of involuntary defection on indirect reciprocity models.
  • To determine conditions for evolutionary stability of cooperation with involuntary defection.
  • To investigate the role of conditional and unconditional altruism in stable indirect reciprocity.

Main Methods:

  • Building upon Nowak and Sigmund's indirect reciprocity model.
  • Incorporating involuntary defection into decision rules for conditional cooperation.
  • Analyzing evolutionary stability under modified conditions.

Main Results:

  • Addition of involuntary defection leads to evolutionarily stable indirect reciprocity under specific conditions.
  • Cooperation stability often requires a mix of conditional and unconditional altruist behaviors.
  • Occasional forgiveness of failed help donations is crucial for stability.

Conclusions:

  • Evolutionary stable indirect reciprocity does not necessitate perfect assessment or donation abilities.
  • Reciprocity is stable among imperfect individuals, incorporating forgiveness by default.
  • The study demonstrates that imperfection is compatible with stable cooperative strategies.

Related Experiment Videos