Prisoners' dilemmas are only troublesome when people are assumed to be selfish. Yet, if we predicate public policy on reciprocity and cooperation, better outcomes would result. (by John Kay)

Describes the human emotion of jealousy as "a perfect paradigm of insufficiency: I am less because you are more. It's a zero-sum game." (by Marc Ian Barasch)

What happens when people play public contribution games during a brain scan? We discover that people like punishing defectors even at a cost to themselves.

Decribes progress in the science of decision-making, including economic, psychological, and neurological perspectives. (by Laura Spinney)

The finding that monkeys have an innate sense of fairness may mean that altruism may be quite rational.

A (dubious) study finds that a species of monkeys has an innate sense of fairness. Perhaps the monkeys should have played an ultimatum game.

Calls for the advent of "neuroeconomics," a blending of game theory and emotion allowing for standard anomalies in rationality.

One researcher suggests a hormonal cause of good will in games and an inverse link between religion and altrusim. (by Ken Grimes)

Psychiatrists note that cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma is part of innate altruism.

Psychiatrists note that cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma is part of innate altruism.

Can sucide bombers be explained as hawks among doves ? An evolutionary psychology viewpoint.

Human altruistic tendencies result in punishing free-riders, potentially resolving the tragedy of the commons. (by Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis)

An eulogy to Herbert Simon, describing his theory of satisficing and contributions to behavioral economics. (by John Kay)

Auctions are useful market allocation mechanisms when the reward is mostly monetary, but do poorly when the prize is of psychological value. (by John Kay)