Jensen P, Matreux T, Cambe J, Larralde H, Bertin E. Giant Catalytic Effect of Altruists in Schelling's Segregation Model.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018;
120:208301. [PMID:
29864344 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.120.208301]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We study the effect of introducing altruistic agents in a Schelling-like model of residential segregation. We find that even an infinitesimal proportion of altruists has dramatic catalytic effects on the collective utility of the system. Altruists provide pathways that move the system away from the suboptimal equilibrium it would reach if the system included only egoist agents, allowing it to reach the optimal steady state.
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