Stochasticity in economic losses increases the value of reputation in indirect reciprocity.

ABSTRACT: Recent theory predicts harsh and stochastic conditions to generally promote the evolution of cooperation. Here, we test experimentally whether stochasticity in economic losses also affects the value of reputation in indirect reciprocity, a type of cooperation that is very typical for humans. We used a repeated helping game with observers. One subject (the "Unlucky") lost some money, another one (the "Passer-by") could reduce this loss by accepting a cost to herself, thereby building up a reputation that could be used by others in later interactions. The losses were either stable or stochastic, but the average loss over time and the average efficiency gains of helping were kept constant in both treatments. We found that players with a reputation of being generous were generally more likely

SUBMITTER: dos Santos M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4677356 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature