The evolution of social dilemma based on aspiration-based collective interdependence

Qianlong Zhu, Qi Wu, Wei Chen and Jun Tao

Applied Mathematics and Computation, 2026, vol. 508, issue C

Abstract: Group interactions represent a critical class which can not be adequately explained through the mere aggregation of pairwise interactions. For instance, collective interdependence exemplifies how the functioning of interdependent groups across different systems emerges from their synergistic relationships. This study introduces an aspiration-based adaptive mechanism for collective interdependence to explore the evolution of cooperation. Collective interdependence is triggered when the total payoff of a group surpasses a predefined aspiration level. Our findings reveal that the global synergy factor inherent to collective interdependence significantly enhances cooperative behavior. However, the role of aspiration exhibits nuanced effects. It is found that an optimal aspiration level maximizes cooperation under conditions of high global synergy effects. Yet for low global synergy effects and local temptations, cooperation displays a bimodal distribution as aspiration increases, with the second peak surpassing the first in magnitude. Furthermore, for a proper aspiration, it is possible for cooperators to dominate one subpopulation and defectors to occupy the other one. Our work reveals the important influence of collective interdependence on the spreading of cooperators, and may provide a perspective to study human cooperation on interdependent systems.

Keywords: Evolutionary game theory; Group interaction; Collective interdependence; Multilayer networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:apmaco:v:508:y:2026:i:c:s0096300325003881

DOI: 10.1016/j.amc.2025.129662

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