Game theory John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern Theory of Games and Economic Behavior (1944) – How do humans make rational decisions between alternative courses of action. John Nash (1950) – concept of a "Nash Equilibrium" (NE) organizing concept under Game Theory Applied to biology (evolution/ecology/group survival): rational decision replaced by concept of fitness – Lewontin, R.C. (1961). Evolution and the theory of games. J. Theor. Biol. 1: – Maynard Smith, J. and Price, G.R. (1972), The logic of animal conflict. Nature 246, – Maynard Smith, J “The theory of games and the evolution of animal conflicts, J. Theor. Biol. 47, – Maynard Smith, J "Evolution and the Theory of Games“. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK. – Reichert, S.E. and Hammerstein, P. (1983). Game Theory in the ecological context". Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst.. 14:

Von Neumann

Individual has "prior opinion" of the possible states of the world – Previously experienced distribution of qualities of food patches, or qualities of potential mates. Animal uses sampling information to arrive at a "posterior opinion“ (quality of food or average qualities of mates in a year). Bayesian model predicts how animals combine previous experience with sampling information to make optimal decisions. Animals may have "prior opinions“ from own individual experience, or from adaptation to the environment experienced by previous generations. Bayesian decision theory

Clutton- Brock’s categories Mating system Social system Parental care M F Clutton-Brock