European Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ECMTB 2026)

Evolutionary game theory and the emergence of noisy learning

MS78-02

14 Jul 2026, 15:00

40m

15.11 - HS (University of Graz)

Minisymposium Talk Population Dynamics, Ecology & Evolution Game theory in ecology and evolution

Speaker

Christian Hilbe (Interdisciplinary Transformation University)

Description

This talk has two complementary aims. The first part provides a self-contained and accessible introduction to (evolutionary) game theory, focusing on some key tools used to describe the dynamics of strategies in adaptive populations. In the second part, I explore a counterintuitive question: why might evolutionary processes favour seemingly suboptimal learning rules? To this end, I present a model showing how occasional selection of low-payoff strategies can, under certain conditions, enhance long-term success.