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Game Theory as a Foundation of Evolutionary Psychology

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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

Synonyms

Behavioral game theory; Decision theory; Evolutionary game theory; Experimental economics; Mathematical biology

Definition

Game theory is the mathematical analysis of interdependent systems composed of fitness- or utility-maximizing “actors” (e.g., humans, animals, genes, or viruses) whose success depends on the strategies of others.

Introduction

Game theory is a useful tool for understanding interdependent systems. It is a mathematical description of how individuals should behave in contexts in which the outcomes of their actions depend on the behavior of other individuals. Game theory has been applied to topics as varied as climate change negotiations (Helm et al. 2012), the evolution of cooperation (Nowak 2006b), and viral population dynamics (Turner and Chao 1999). Game theory makes sense of different “strategies” and “payoffs” by using the mathematical logic of each individual agent’s perspective. Game theory was first used to model rational, conscious actions by humans...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Dakota E. McCoy

Authors
  1. Dakota E. McCoy
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Correspondence to Dakota E. McCoy .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Karin Machluf

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McCoy, D.E. (2018). Game Theory as a Foundation of Evolutionary Psychology. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3577-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3577-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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