Enhancement of cooperation in highly clustered scale-free networks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how increased clustering in scale-free networks influences the evolution of cooperation, showing that higher clustering generally promotes cooperative behavior despite high temptation to defect.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the impact of clustering on cooperation dynamics in scale-free networks, highlighting the role of clustering in enhancing cooperation.

Findings

High clustering increases overall cooperation.

Clustering reduces invasion of defectors across degree classes.

Cooperation persists even under high temptation to defect.

Abstract

We study the effect of clustering on the organization of cooperation, by analyzing the evolutionary dynamics of the Prisoner's Dilemma on scale-free networks with a tunable value of clustering. We find that a high value of the clustering coefficient produces an overall enhancement of cooperation in the network, even for a very high temptation to defect. On the other hand, high clustering homogeneizes the process of invasion of degree classes by defectors, decreasing the chances of survival of low densities of cooperator strategists in the network.