Evolution of Cooperation and Evolutionary Game Theory

Dear Colleagues,

Human societies have always relies on collective cooperation for survival and prosperity. When the recent global pandemic emerged, some individuals and societies responded by offering their cooperation, such as volunteering as frontline workers, donating protective materials and supplies, and adhering to strict quarantine policies, which made the containment of the pandemic possible. This is just one of numerous examples that prove that collective cooperation indeed benefits the long-term development of the entire system; however, it can also inhibit the maximization of one’s short-term interests. Theoretically, this means that individuals’ motivations to increase their own benefits could lead to the collapse of cooperation. Understanding the spread and maintenance of cooperation, and human decision making when faced with conflict between one’s own interests and those of the group, is now widely recognized as an important and practical problem with tangible benefits, as we tackle global problems in public health, resource management, and climate change.

The evolution of cooperation has received significant attention from researchers in the field of mathematics, physics, biology, sociology, economics, and computer science. This Special Issue aims to collect papers that provide insights into cooperation, human decision making, social behaviors, and social norms, using a wide range of tools including computer simulation, mathematical analysis, data analysis, and experiments with human subjects.

Dr. Qi Su
Dr. Alberto Antonioni
Guest Editors

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