Mathematical Studies on Human Cooperation

Cooperation is a fundamental part of human society. But from an evolutionary perspective, it remains a puzzle—why do people help others even when it costs them? In theory, selfish individuals should have an advantage over cooperators. To explain how cooperative behaviors evolved, researchers have proposed several mechanisms, among which direct and indirect reciprocity play key roles in human interactions.

In this talk, I will present my research on the evolution of cooperation, focusing on these two mechanisms. I will begin with an introduction to game theory and evolutionary game theory, which help us understand how people make decisions in strategic situations. Then, I will discuss my study on the repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma, where we discovered a new class of strategies through mathematical analysis and large-scale computations [1]. Finally, I will talk about my research on indirect reciprocity, a process where people cooperate based on reputation [2].