Social selection and social plasticity in virtual ecosystems

INTERACTIVE is a multidisciplinary project that aims to understand how and when social interactions maintain behavioural diversity.

We test predictions rooted in ecological and evolutionary theory to investigate i) how behaviours of social partners affect individual fitness (social selection), ii) how individuals adjust their behaviours in response to others (social plasticity) and whether plasticity is under selection, iii) how experience affects individual decisions.

To answer our questions, we use big data on human behaviour derived from a novel source, virtual ecosystems of cooperative multiplayer videogames.

Our study system is the online multiplayer videogame Dead by daylight, where players repeatedly interact and cooperate to achieve a common goal.

The project applies state-of-the-art theoretical and analytical tools from quantitative genetics and behavioural ecology to an exceptionally large, detailed, and complete dataset mapping behaviours of millions of players across millions of social interactions over years of gameplay.

This unique dataset provides us an unprecedented opportunity to test, refine, and increase the predictive power of ecology and evolutionary theoretical models by overcoming empirical constrains common in research on nonhuman animals.

INTERACTIVE combines the hosts expertise in quantitative genetics, selection analysis, and social evolution, with my strong background in behavioural and evolutionary ecology.

I will develop analytical skills in high demand in the academic market, build a cross-disciplinary profile and strong ties with the industry, enhancing my competitiveness.

This project is a vital step forward towards my career goals of reaching a position of professional independence in research and becoming a leading expert in the evolutionary ecology of social interactions.

Findings from INTERACTIVE will improve our understanding of how social interactions shape the evolution of animal societies, including our own.