Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/221564

Title

Random mobility and the evolution of cooperation in spatial N-player iterated Prisoner's Dilemma games

Author(s)

Chiong, Raymond;  Kirley, Michael

Abstract

We study the effects of random mobility on the evolution of cooperation in a spatial version of the N-player Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game, where individuals are located on a two-dimensional regular lattice with periodic boundary conditions. The probability that an individual moves from its current location is based on the amount of time it has occupied a given position and the relative fitness values of the individual occupying the destination position. Our results show that random movement can promote cooperative behaviour in N-player games. In some circumstances, random mobility enhances system-wide cooperation levels when compared to the static model. However, the outcome is strictly dependent on the cost-to-benefit ratio and the range of movement. An analysis of the population dynamics suggests that the convergence rate of the model (i.e., the time for the population to reach an equilibrium state) is faster with mobility in place. Our findings help to further understand the relationship between mobility and evolving game-playing strategies in spatially structured populations, especially when efficient collective actions matter.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale

Source

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Vol. 391, no. 15 (Aug 2012), pp. 3915-3923

Publication year

2012

FOR Code(s)

0105 Mathematical Physics;  0206 Quantum Physics

Keyword(s)

Cooperation;  N -player prisoner's dilemma;  Random mobility;  Spatial evolutionary games

Publisher

Elsevier

ISSN

0378-4371

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physa.2012.03.010

Copyright

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peer reviewed