Coordination/Cooperation Games

The study of coordination and cooperation games is a dynamic field that explores the diverse motivations and underlying institutions influencing behaviors such as giving, volunteering, pro-environmental actions, and helping behaviors in various contexts. This area of research examines how both payoff maximizers and individuals with social preferences engage in coordination or cooperation with others. While selfish individuals may cooperate for the benefits of long-term relationships, those with social preferences derive intrinsic value from prosocial behaviors. Cognitive abilities and heuristic repertoires significantly impact the strategic choices of selfish individuals, while various social preferences, including altruism, reciprocity, and fairness concerns, underpin cooperative behaviors. Despite advancements in understanding these dynamics, there remains a need to consider cognitive abilities and social preferences when designing mechanisms like incentives, communication channels, and nudges to effectively encourage coordination and cooperation. Current studies have made strides in identifying these factors, yet gaps persist in fully understanding the interplay between cognitive and social elements in fostering cooperative behavior.

This research topic aims to collect studies related to coordination or cooperation behavior. The primary objective is to identify strategies, preferences, personalities, psychological characteristics, cognitive abilities, and heuristics that underlie coordination or cooperation behavior. Additionally, the research seeks to contribute to the design of institutions, rules, or mechanisms that encourage such behaviors. By addressing these aims, the research will provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing coordination and cooperation, ultimately informing the development of effective interventions and policies.

To gather further insights into the boundaries of coordination and cooperation behaviors, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Theoretical and experimental studies investigating the types of strategies that support coordination or cooperation in repeated games.
• Theoretical and experimental studies of equilibrium selection.
• Experimental studies investigating the relationship between coordination or cooperation behavior and cognitive abilities, social preferences, or psychological characteristics.
• Field experimental studies on the effects of nudges that promote coordination or cooperation behavior.
• Questionnaire studies on the relationship between coordination or cooperation behavior and psychological and sociodemographic characteristics.
• Theoretical and experimental studies of mechanism design to implement coordination or cooperation.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: repeated games, game theory, coordination, cooperation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.