Keynote Talk · EGAI 2026

Evolutionary game models of human cooperation

Abstract

One of the distinct characteristics of humans is their extremely high propensity to act cooperatively toward others. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the evolution of human cooperation. Among them, kin selection and reciprocity are believed to be major driving forces. In this talk, I will present my two recent theoretical works on this topic. In the first part, I’ll talk about how ancestral kin selection provides a carry-over effect on modern human cooperation. In the second part, I’ll talk about indirect reciprocity, which is reputation-based cooperation. I will show how cooperation by indirect reciprocity is stably maintained in a population when people can independently evaluate others’ behavior.