The Evolution of Trust
Core route · systems
Cooperation, retaliation, and repair — played out.
This explainer turns repeated-game scenarios into a hands-on sandbox. Play one-off encounters, then move into iterated rounds where reputation, noise, and forgiveness shape outcomes. It makes abstract game-theory mechanics feel concrete.
At a glance
Cooperation is fragile. This sim makes it easy to see how noise, miscommunication, and short time horizons push systems toward defection — and how repeated interactions repair them.
Start with a one-off game, then play three or four iterated rounds. Introduce noise and watch how retaliation escalates. Finish by experimenting with forgiveness to find sustainable strategies.
About 10 to 15 minutes. Beginner friendly, especially if you want game theory to feel like strategy instead of notation.
Embed
Reading path
- Open the live interactive: https://kohnnn.github.io/interactive-explanation/trust/
- Continue through To-Build-a-Better-Ballot or Parable-of-the-Polygons for another systems-and-incentives route
- Continue via Interactive or Visual Notes