Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Interactions: Cooperation

Microbial Interactions: Cooperation

Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...

Robbers Cave

Robbers Cave

During the 1950s, the landmark Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that when groups must compete with one another, intergroup conflict, hostility, and even violence may result. At the Oklahoman summer camp, two troops of boys—termed the Rattlers and the Eagles—took part in a week-long tournament. During this time, their negativity culminated in derogatory name-calling, fistfights, and even vandalism and destruction of property. However, this work also revealed that such tension could be...

Microbial Interactions: Competition

Microbial Interactions: Competition

Microbial competition is an ecological interaction in which microorganisms vie for limited resources within shared environments. These resources may include nutrients, space, or light, depending on the system. The intensity and outcome of competition are influenced by the environmental context, such as nutrient availability, spatial constraints, and the diversity of microbial species present. These competitive interactions significantly influence the structure, function, and resilience of...

The Stanford Prison Experiment

The Stanford Prison Experiment

The famous and controversial Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by social psychologist Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues at Stanford University, demonstrated the power of social roles, social norms, and scripts.

Ethical Dilemmas II

Ethical Dilemmas II

Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:

Microbial Interactions: Predation

Microbial Interactions: Predation

Microbial predation refers to the process by which one microorganism kills and consumes another to obtain nutrients and energy. It encompasses both bacterial and protozoan predators. This interaction plays a crucial role in shaping microbial communities and regulating nutrient cycling.Bacterial Predators: Epibiotic vs. EndobioticBacterial predators are classified based on their mode of attack as either epibiotic or endobiotic. Epibiotic predators, such as Vampirococcus, attach to the surface of...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Economic factors underlying biodiversity loss.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2023

Same author

Population, Ecological Footprint and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Environmental & resource economics·2021

Same author

Addressing our planetary crisis: Consensus statement from the presenters and International Advisory Committee of the Regional Action on Climate Change (RACC) Symposium held in conjunction with the Kyoto-based Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum, 1 October 2021.

Sustainability science·2021

Same author

Effect of carboplatin dose capping on survival in recurrent breast, ovary and head and neck cancers: a single institutional retrospective study.

Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology·2021

Same author

Our future in the Anthropocene biosphere.

Ambio·2021

Same author

Social dimensions of fertility behavior and consumption patterns in the Anthropocene.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2020

Same journal

Evolution of quantitative traits: exploring the ecological, social and genetic bases of adaptive polymorphism.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same journal

The male-biased sex ratio in humans and its role in the transition from promiscuity to pair bonding.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same journal

Quantifying the counter-intuitive effects of vaccination by coupling the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 and the evolution of human behaviors.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same journal

An integrative model of FGF2-induced signaling and muscle cell proliferation.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same journal

A hybrid reaction-diffusion and mechanical stimulus model for mandibular bone remodeling under chewing and vibratory loading.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Same journal

Integrated tick management strategies in fragmented peridomestic environments.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection

Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection

Published on: November 18, 2022

Dark matters: exploitation as cooperation.

Partha Dasgupta¹

¹Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. partha.dasgupta@econ.cam.ac.uk

Journal of Theoretical Biology

|May 10, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Communitarian institutions in poor countries may enable exploitation, not cooperation. This study shows how resource management models reveal exploitation disguised as cooperation.

More Related Videos

The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm

The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm

Published on: October 20, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection

Investigation of Microbial Cooperation via Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Bacterial Colonies Grown on Agar and in Tissue During Infection

Published on: November 18, 2022

The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm

The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm

Published on: October 20, 2022

Area of Science:

Social Sciences
Economics
Game Theory

Background:

Empirical literature on human cooperation often studies communitarian institutions in developing countries.
The Prisoners' Dilemma game is frequently used to model these institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

To re-evaluate the theoretical underpinnings of communitarian institutions.
To investigate the potential for exploitation within these institutions.

Main Methods:

Application of a key result from repeated game theory.
Development of a model for local common property resource management.

Main Results:

Local public goods provision and common property resource management do not align with the Prisoners' Dilemma structure.
Communitarian institutions can facilitate the exploitation of group members.

Conclusions:

The theoretical framework of the Prisoners' Dilemma is inadequate for understanding these institutions.
Exploitation can be masked as cooperation within communitarian settings.