CSSSA - September Webinar

Balaraju Battu will present A few bad apples can destroy the reciprocal nature of the majority

Abstract: Social dilemmas such as hunting large game, sharing meat, conserving common resources, and engaging in warfare have been critical to the survival of human communities because they provided benefits to all group members, regardless of their contributions. In these contexts, it has been observed that an individual’s cooperative action depends on the cooperative actions of their group members. However, a few members’ selfish interests can destroy conditional cooperation in their social group. The evolution of cooperation is contingent on the critical mass of individuals who adopt and reinforce the social norm, thereby triggering others to conform. The study delves into the importance of the critical mass of stubborn altruists in enforcing social norms and establishing conditional cooperation. However, very few bad apples---unconditional defectors---are sufficient to destroy conditional cooperation, even in the presence of a few good apples.

Brief Bio
Currently
Postdoctoral Associate
AI and Data Science Lab, NYU Abu Dhabi

Max Weber Fellow (Social and Political Science Department) (2019-2021)
(European University Institute (EUI), Florence Italy
Ph.D. in Cognitive Science (2019)
(Center for Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (CBS), University of Allahabad)

Research interests
Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of cooperation and social norms
Human-machine collective interactions.

Zoom Link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83828694437?pwd=UURrR2luM3VBTUxUd1BKeU4zRlpodz09