Investigating the evolutionary dynamics of cooperation on a dynamic network: the influence of aspiration-driven structural adaptations

Abstract

In complex network cooperation research, aspiration-driven mechanisms and dynamic networks both effectively promote cooperation, showing remarkable complementarity. Leveraging this, we innovatively integrate an aspiration mechanism into network updates to study strategy evolution in the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Our model lets individuals adjust connections based on aspiration values, paired with a compatible strategy update framework. Simulations show that for aspiration values within a certain range, cooperation rates rise significantly across all the temptation values, with higher aspiration levels yielding greater cooperation. This confirms that embedding aspirations in network evolution enhances cooperation emergence and spread. Key contributions: constructing a complex network cooperation model, uncovering strategy dynamics mechanisms, and offering theoretical guidance for real-world cooperation.