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A Review of Theoretical Studies on Indirect Reciprocity

Author

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  • Isamu Okada

    (Faculty of Business Administration, Soka University, Hachioji City, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan
    Department of Information Systems and Operations, Vienna University of Economics, 1020 Vienna, Austria
    Current address: Tangi 1-236, Hachioji City, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan)

Abstract

Despite the accumulation of research on indirect reciprocity over the past 30 years and the publication of over 100,000 related papers, there are still many issues to be addressed. Here, we look back on the research that has been done on indirect reciprocity and identify the issues that have been resolved and the ones that remain to be resolved. This manuscript introduces indirect reciprocity in the context of the evolution of cooperation, basic models of social dilemma situations, the path taken in the elaboration of mathematical analysis using evolutionary game theory, the discovery of image scoring norms, and the breakthroughs brought about by the analysis of the evolutionary instability of the norms. Moreover, it presents key results obtained by refining the assessment function, resolving the punishment dilemma, and presenting a complete solution to the social dilemma problem. Finally, it discusses the application of indirect reciprocity in various disciplines.

Suggested Citation

  • Isamu Okada, 2020. "A Review of Theoretical Studies on Indirect Reciprocity," Games, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgames:v:11:y:2020:i:3:p:27-:d:386922
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    Cited by:

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    2. Stefania Collodi & Maria Fiorenza & Andrea Guazzini & Mirko Duradoni, 2020. "How Reputation Systems Change the Psychological Antecedents of Fairness in Virtual Environments," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Zhou, Chen & Zhu, Yuying & Zhao, Dawei & Xia, Chengyi, 2024. "An evolutionary trust game model with group reputation within the asymmetric population," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    4. Hu, Qi & Zhou, Mengyu & Jiang, Yulian & Liu, Xingwen, 2024. "Analysis of cooperative stability for reputation evaluation rules in spatial prisoner's dilemma game," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 482(C).
    5. Tomy, Rimmy E. & Wittenberg-Moerman, Regina, 2024. "Community membership and reciprocity in lending: Evidence from informal markets," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(1).
    6. Zdybel, Karol B., 2024. "Norms among heterogeneous agents: a rational-choice model," ILE Working Paper Series 78, University of Hamburg, Institute of Law and Economics.
    7. Zhang, Yanling & Yang, Shuo & Chen, Xiaojie & Bai, Yanbing & Xie, Guangming, 2023. "Reputation update of responders efficiently promotes the evolution of fairness in the ultimatum game," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    8. Flores, Lucas S. & Han, The Anh, 2024. "Evolution of commitment in the spatial public goods game through institutional incentives," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 473(C).
    9. Tatsuya Sasaki & Satoshi Uchida & Isamu Okada & Hitoshi Yamamoto, 2024. "The Evolution of Cooperation and Diversity under Integrated Indirect Reciprocity," Games, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, April.
    10. Astrid Dannenberg & Gunnar Gutsche & Marlene Batzke & Sven Christens & Daniel Engler & Fabian Mankat & Sophia Moeller & Eva Weingaertner & Andreas Ernst & Marcel Lumkowsky & Georg von Wangenheim & Ger, 2022. "The effects of norms on environmental behavior," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202219, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    11. Zhu, Wenqiang & Pan, Qiuhui & He, Mingfeng, 2022. "Exposure-based reputation mechanism promotes the evolution of cooperation," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    12. Christian Hilbe & Maria Kleshnina & Kateřina Staňková, 2023. "Evolutionary Games and Applications: Fifty Years of ‘The Logic of Animal Conflict’," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 1035-1048, December.
    13. Satoshi Uchida & Tatsuya Sasaki & Hitoshi Yamamoto & Isamu Okada, 2024. "Evolution of “Pay-It-Forward” in the Presence of the Temptation to Free-Ride," Games, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, April.
    14. Yvan I. Russell & Yana Stoilova & Aura-Adriana Dosoftei, 2020. "Cooperation through Image Scoring: A Replication," Games, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, November.

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