Imitation, Group Selection and Cooperation

Philippe Grégoire () and Arthur Robson
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Philippe Grégoire: Department of Economics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada

International Game Theory Review (IGTR), 2003, vol. 05, issue 03, 229-247

Abstract: A prior signalling stage is added to the Prisoner's Dilemma and the overall population involved is divided into a number of subpopulations. Evolution involves both local and global imitation — so that the process is formally one of "group selection". A subpopulation that is not signalling and defecting against one and all can be invaded by two "secret handshake" mutants. A subpopulation that is composed entirely of the secret handshake strategy can be invaded by a single "sucker punch" mutant. Nevertheless, if there are at least three subpopulations, the population cooperates always, in the limit as the mutation rate tends to zero.

Keywords: Prisoner's Dilemma; secret handshake; imitation; cooperation; group selection; evolution; best-reply dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B4 C0 C6 C7 D5 D7 M2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1142/S0219198903001033

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