♟ SPATIAL PRISONER'S DILEMMA

PAYOFF MATRIX

Cooperators:
Defectors:
Generation: 0
Cooperator
Defector
C beats D
D beats C
Nowak & May (1992): spatial structure can sustain cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma. Cooperators form clusters — C-C interactions yield more than D-D. "Win-stay, lose-shift" or imitation dynamics on a lattice. Above b≈1.8, defectors win; below ~1.4, cooperators dominate; intermediate b shows rich spatio-temporal patterns.