Higher-order evolutionary dynamics with game transitions

Area of Science:

• Complex systems science
• Game theory
• Evolutionary dynamics

Background:

• Pairwise interactions fail to capture complex system dynamics.
• Higher-order interactions significantly influence system evolution.
• Understanding cooperation in social dilemmas is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of game transitions on cooperation in higher-order prisoner's dilemma games.
• To analyze the dual role of higher-order interaction proportions in cooperative systems.
• To identify emergent states in systems with higher-order interactions and game transitions.

Main Methods:

• Development of a higher-order prisoner's dilemma game model incorporating game transitions.
• Theoretical analysis of game dynamics.
• Computational simulations to validate theoretical predictions.

Main Results:

• Game transitions consistently promote cooperation.
• The proportion of higher-order interactions exhibits a dual impact: promoting cooperation or facilitating defection.
• Bistable states (mutual defection vs. mutual cooperation/coexistence) are consistently observed.

Conclusions:

• Game transitions are a key factor in promoting cooperation within higher-order interaction networks.
• The balance between higher-order interactions and game transitions determines system stability and cooperation levels.
• The study reveals complex dynamics leading to persistent cooperation or defection-driven invasions.