31,745 research outputs found
The Web as an Adaptive Network: Coevolution of Web Behavior and Web Structure
Much is known about the complex network structure of the Web, and about behavioral dynamics on the Web. A number of studies address how behaviors on the Web are affected by different network topologies, whilst others address how the behavior of users on the Web alters network topology. These represent complementary directions of influence, but they are generally not combined within any one study. In network science, the study of the coupled interaction between topology and behavior, or state-topology coevolution, is known as 'adaptive networks', and is a rapidly developing area of research. In this paper, we review the case for considering the Web as an adaptive network and several examples of state-topology coevolution on the Web. We also review some abstract results from recent literature in adaptive networks and discuss their implications for Web Science. We conclude that adaptive networks provide a formal framework for characterizing processes acting 'on' and 'of' the Web, and offers potential for identifying general organizing principles that seem otherwise illusive in Web Scienc
Social Evolution: New Horizons
Cooperation is a widespread natural phenomenon yet current evolutionary
thinking is dominated by the paradigm of selfish competition. Recent advanced
in many fronts of Biology and Non-linear Physics are helping to bring
cooperation to its proper place. In this contribution, the most important
controversies and open research avenues in the field of social evolution are
reviewed. It is argued that a novel theory of social evolution must integrate
the concepts of the science of Complex Systems with those of the Darwinian
tradition. Current gene-centric approaches should be reviewed and com-
plemented with evidence from multilevel phenomena (group selection), the
constrains given by the non-linear nature of biological dynamical systems and
the emergent nature of dissipative phenomena.Comment: 16 pages 5 figures, chapter in forthcoming open access book
"Frontiers in Ecology, Evolution and Complexity" CopIt-arXives 2014, Mexic
Extended Inclusive Fitness Theory bridges Economics and Biology through a common understanding of Social Synergy
Inclusive Fitness Theory (IFT) was proposed half a century ago by W.D.
Hamilton to explain the emergence and maintenance of cooperation between
individuals that allows the existence of society. Contemporary evolutionary
ecology identified several factors that increase inclusive fitness, in addition
to kin-selection, such as assortation or homophily, and social synergies
triggered by cooperation. Here we propose an Extend Inclusive Fitness Theory
(EIFT) that includes in the fitness calculation all direct and indirect
benefits an agent obtains by its own actions, and through interactions with kin
and with genetically unrelated individuals. This formulation focuses on the
sustainable cost/benefit threshold ratio of cooperation and on the probability
of agents sharing mutually compatible memes or genes. This broader description
of the nature of social dynamics allows to compare the evolution of cooperation
among kin and non-kin, intra- and inter-specific cooperation, co-evolution, the
emergence of symbioses, of social synergies, and the emergence of division of
labor. EIFT promotes interdisciplinary cross fertilization of ideas by allowing
to describe the role for division of labor in the emergence of social
synergies, providing an integrated framework for the study of both, biological
evolution of social behavior and economic market dynamics.Comment: Bioeconomics, Synergy, Complexit
Different reactions to adverse neighborhoods in games of cooperation
In social dilemmas, cooperation among randomly interacting individuals is
often difficult to achieve. The situation changes if interactions take place in
a network where the network structure jointly evolves with the behavioral
strategies of the interacting individuals. In particular, cooperation can be
stabilized if individuals tend to cut interaction links when facing adverse
neighborhoods. Here we consider two different types of reaction to adverse
neighborhoods, and all possible mixtures between these reactions. When faced
with a gloomy outlook, players can either choose to cut and rewire some of
their links to other individuals, or they can migrate to another location and
establish new links in the new local neighborhood. We find that in general
local rewiring is more favorable for the evolution of cooperation than
emigration from adverse neighborhoods. Rewiring helps to maintain the diversity
in the degree distribution of players and favors the spontaneous emergence of
cooperative clusters. Both properties are known to favor the evolution of
cooperation on networks. Interestingly, a mixture of migration and rewiring is
even more favorable for the evolution of cooperation than rewiring on its own.
While most models only consider a single type of reaction to adverse
neighborhoods, the coexistence of several such reactions may actually be an
optimal setting for the evolution of cooperation.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in PLoS ON
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