October 3, 2025Open Access

Integrating upstream and downstream reciprocity stabilizes cooperator-defector coexistence in N-player giving games

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

Discussion

Analysis demonstrates stable coexistence of cooperation and defection among N-player interactions, suggesting strategic diversity enhances outcomes.

Integrating upstream and downstream reciprocity achieves stable coexistence of cooperators and defectors in N-player games.
The model shows that cooperation can thrive when the benefit-to-cost ratio exceeds a critical threshold (b/c > 2).
Introducing complexity costs aids stability by preventing invasions from non-integrated cooperators and conditional strategies.
Defectors act as shields maintaining system integrity, fostering an environment where strategic diversity can support cooperation.

Sasaki et al. (2025) studied this question.

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Analysis demonstrates stable coexistence of cooperation and defection among N-player interactions, suggesting strategic diversity enhances outcomes.