A Cognitive Theory of Cooperators' Advantage

这一建议为涉及囚犯困境博弈的小组情境下合作行为的来源提供了新的见解。先前的分析通过假设补充激励或假设合作者能够识别叛逃者来解释这种行为。这两种方法都对人类的认知能力提出了大量要求，这似乎是不合理的。相比之下，目前的方法是基于另一种启发式方法，涉及两个决策：(1)是否参与，如果参与，(2)如何参与。该方法为研究合作行为的进化提供了基础。这些想法将使用一种具有特殊前景的新实验范式进行测试。所提出的方法在理论上和经验上都取得了进展。特别是，本研究的结果将定义合作行为倾向于滋生合作的条件。因为重点是合作而不是竞争，拟议的研究应该提供对小团体行为的新理解。

This proposal offers new insights into the sources of cooperative behavior in small-group situations involving prisoners' dilemma games. Previous analyses have explained the behavior either by assuming supplementary incentives or by assuming that cooperators are capable of recognizing defectors. Both approaches place substantial demands on human cognitive capacities that appear unreasonable. The present approach, in contrast, is based on an alternative heuristic involving two decisions: (1) whether to participate, and if so, (2) how to participate. This approach provides a basis for studying the evolution of cooperative behavior. The ideas will be tested using a new experimental paradigm that holds particular promise. The proposed approach offers advances both theoretically and empirically. In particular, the results of this research will define conditions under which cooperative behavior tends to breed cooperation. Because the focus is on cooperation rather than competition, the proposed research should provide new understanding of small-group behavior.