Speaker
Dr
Thilo Gross
(Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of complex systems)
Description
We study the self-assembly of a complex network of
collaborations among self-interested agents. The agents can
maintain different levels of cooperation with different
partners. Further, they continuously, selectively, and
independently adapt the amount of resources allocated to
each of their collaborations in order to maximize the
obtained payoff. We show analytically that the system
approaches a state in which the agents make identical
investments, and links produce identical benefits. Despite
this high degree of social coordination some agents manage
to secure privileged topological positions in the network
enabling them to extract high payoffs. Our analytical
investigations provide a rationale for the emergence of
unidirectional nonreciprocal collaborations and different
responses to the withdrawal of a partner from an interaction
that have been reported in the psychological literature.
