Assistant professor, Department of Psychology
Yale University

Research Scientist
Harvard University

1 Brattle Sq Suite 6, Room 637
Cambridge MA, 02138
[map] [walking directions]

Email: david.rand@yale.edu

Twitter: @David_G_Rand

Google Scholar Profile

Research

My research focuses on human cooperative behavior. Cooperation is an essential aspect of life, from bacterial bio-films to social insects, and from workplace collaborations to environmental conservation, political participation and international relations. Yet cooperation is often individually costly. So why are people (usually) willing to incur these costs, and what can we do to promote cooperation in the world around us?

To answer these questions, I take into account interactions across different scales, and integrate approaches from numerous disciplines. I ask (i) what prosocial and antisocial decisions people will make in particular situations and social environments; (ii) the cognitive mechanisms that determine how these decisions are actually made; and (iii) the ultimate explanations for why our decision-making processes have come to function as they do. I combine empirical observations from behavioral experiments with predictions generated by math models and computer simulations using evolutionary game theory. I draw on approaches from psychology as well as economics and evolutionary biology, and am interested in applications including law, management and public policy.

In particular, I have written about the role of intuition in promoting prosocial behavior [A], the limitations of costly punishment for enhancing cooperation [B], the strategic importance of leniency and forgiveness [C], why evolution might lead to both fairness [D] as well as anti-social punishment where non-cooperators pay to punish cooperators [E], and the role in-group bias plays in human cooperation [F].

Other interests of mine include the possibilities the internet offers for incentive-compatible behavioral research [G], applying infectious disease models to social contagion [H], modeling systemic risk in banking (and other ecosystems) [I] and understanding the knowledge dynamics of scientific discovery and publishing [J].

Selected Publications

• Rand DG*, Tarnita CE*, Ohtsuki H, Nowak MA (2013) Evolution of fairness in the one-shot anonymous Ultimatum Game. PNAS 110 2581–2586 (PDF) (Data and experimental materials)
  
  
• Fudenberg D*, Rand DG*, Dreber A. (2012) Slow to Anger and Fast to Forgive: Cooperation in an Uncertain World. American Economic Review. 102 720-749. (PDF) (Data and code)
  
  
• Rand DG, Greene JD*, Nowak MA* (2012) Spontaneous giving and calculated greed. Nature, 489, 427–430. (PDF) (Data and code)
  
  
• Shenhav A*, Rand DG*, Greene JD. (2012) Divine intuition: cognitive style influences belief in God. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 141 423-428. (PDF)
  
  
• van Veelen M, Garcia J, Rand DG, Nowak MA (2012) Direct reciprocity in structured populations. PNAS. 109 9929-9934. (PDF)
  
  
• Beale N*, Rand DG*, Battey H, Croxson K, May RM, Nowak MA. (2011) Individual versus systemic risk and the Regulator's Dilemma. PNAS 31 12647-12652. (PDF)
  
  
• Horton JJ, Rand DG, Zeckhauser RJ. (2011) The Online Laboratory: Conducting Experiments in a Real Labor Market. Experimental Economics. 14 399-425. (PDF)
  
  
• Rand DG, Nowak MA. (2011) The evolution of antisocial punishment in optional public goods games. Nature Communications. 2 434. (PDF)
  
  
• Rand DG*, Arbesman S*, Christakis NA. (2011) Dynamic networks promote cooperation in experiments with humans. PNAS, 108 19193-19198. (PDF)
  
  
• Rand DG*, Dreber A*, Ellingsen T, Fudenberg D, Nowak MA (2009) Positive interactions promote public cooperation. Science 325, 1272-1275. (PDF) (Data)
  
  
• Rand DG*, Pfeiffer T*, Dreber A, Sheketoff RW, Wernerfelt NC, Benkler Y (2009) Dynamic remodeling of in-group bias during the 2008 presidential election. PNAS 106, 6187-6191. (PDF) (Data)
  
  
• Dreber A*, Rand DG*, Fudenberg D, Nowak MA (2008) Winners don't punish. Nature 452, 348-351. (PDF) (Data)
  
  

All Publications by Topic

1. Experiments on social behaviors and beliefs
   
2. Evolutionary game theory / complex systems models
   
3. Crowdsourcing behavioral experiments using online labor markets
   
4. Science of science
   
5. Behavioral genetics
   
6. Commentaries / popular press
   
   

Experiments on social behaviors and beliefs


1. Jordan JJ, Rand DG, Arbesman S, Fowler JH, Christakis NA. (In press) Contagion of Cooperation in Static and Fluid Social Networks. PLoS ONE.
   
   
2. [Working paper] Dreber A, Rand DG, Wernerfelt N, Worrell PR, Zeckhauser RJ (2013) The Decisions of Entrepreneurs and Their Agents: Revealed Levels of Risk Aversion and Betrayal Aversion. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2263282 (PDF)
   
   
3. Rand DG, Dreber A, Haque OS, Kane RJ, Nowak MA, Coakley S. (2013) Religious Motivations for Cooperation: An Experimental Investigation Using Explicit Primes. Religion, brain and behavior. doi:10.1080/2153599X.2013.775664 (PDF)
   
   
4. [Working paper] Rand DG*, Fudenberg D*, Dreber A (2013) It's the Thought that Counts: The Role of Intentions in Reciprocal Altruism. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2259407 (PDF)
   
   
5. [Working paper] Rand DG, Peysakhovich A, Kraft-Todd GT, Newman GE, Wurzbacher O, Nowak MA, Greene JD (2013) Intuitive cooperation and the Social Heuristics Hypothesis: Evidence from 15 time constraint studies. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2222683 (PDF)
   
   
6. Dreber A, Ellingsen T, Johannesson M, Rand DG. (2012) Do People Care About Social Context? Framing Effects in Dictator Games. Experimental Economics doi:10.1007/s10683-012-9341-9 (PDF)
   
   
7. [Working paper] Ellingsen T, Herrmann B, Nowak MA, Rand DG, Tarnita CE (2012) Civic Capital in Two Cultures: The Nature of Cooperation in Romania and USA. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2179575 (PDF)
   
   

Fudenberg D*, Rand DG*, Dreber A. (2012) Slow to Anger and Fast to Forgive: Cooperation in an Uncertain World. American Economic Review. 102 720-749. (PDF) (Data and code)



8. Pfeiffer T, Tran L, Krumme O, Rand DG (2012) The value of reputation. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. doi:10.1098/rsif.2012.0332 (PDF)
   
   

Rand DG, Greene JD*, Nowak MA* (2012) Spontaneous giving and calculated greed. Nature, 489, 427–430. (PDF) (Data and code)



9. Shenhav A*, Rand DG*, Greene JD. (2012) Divine intuition: cognitive style influences belief in God. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 141 423-428. (PDF)
   
   
10. [Working paper] Wells JS, Rand DG (2012) Strategic self-interest can explain seemingly 'fair' behavior in the Ultimatum Game. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2136707 (PDF)
    
    
11. Almenberg J, Dreber A, Apicella CL, Rand DG (2011) Third Party Reward and Punishment: Group Size, Efficiency and Public Goods, in “Psychology of Punishment”, Nova Science Publishers. Eds. NM Palmetti et al. ISBN: 978-1-61324-115-8. (PDF) (Data)


12. [Working paper] Dreber A, Fudenberg DF, Rand DG. (2011) Who cooperates in repeated games? Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1752366 (PDF)
    
    

Rand DG*, Arbesman S*, Christakis NA. (2011) Dynamic networks promote cooperation in experiments with humans. PNAS, 108 19193-19198. (PDF)



13. Blake PR, Rand DG (2010) Currency value moderates equity preference among young children. Evolution and Human Behavior, 31 210-218. (PDF) (Data)
    
    

Rand DG*, Dreber A*, Ellingsen T, Fudenberg D, Nowak MA (2009) Positive interactions promote public cooperation. Science 325, 1272-1275. (PDF) (Data)




Rand DG*, Pfeiffer T*, Dreber A, Sheketoff RW, Wernerfelt NC, Benkler Y (2009) Dynamic remodeling of in-group bias during the 2008 presidential election. PNAS 106, 6187-6191. (PDF) (Data)




Dreber A*, Rand DG*, Fudenberg D, Nowak MA (2008) Winners don't punish. Nature 452, 348-351. (PDF) (Data)






Evolutionary game theory / complex systems models


Rand DG*, Tarnita CE*, Ohtsuki H, Nowak MA (2013) Evolution of fairness in the one-shot anonymous Ultimatum Game. PNAS 110 2581–2586 (PDF) (Data and experimental materials)



14. Ruelas RE, Rand DG, Rand RH (2013) Parametric Excitation and Evolutionary Dynamics. Journal of Applied Mechanics. doi:10.1115/1.4023473
    
    
15. Fu F*, Tarnita CE*, Christakis NA, Wang L, Rand DG, Nowak MA (2012) Evolution of in-group favoritism. Scientific Reports 2 460. (PDF)
    
    
16. Isakov A, Rand DG. (2012) The Evolution of Coercive Institutional Punishment. Dynamic Games and Applications. 2 97-109. (PDF)
    
    
17. Manapat ML, Nowak MA, Rand DG. (2012) Information, irrationality and the evolution of trust. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2012.10.018 (PDF)
    
    
18. Manapat ML, Rand DG. (2012) Delayed and inconsistent information and the evolution of trust. Dynamic Games and Applications 2 401-410. (PDF)
    
    
19. Manapat ML, Rand DG, Pawlowitsch C, Nowak MA. (2012) Stochastic evolutionary dynamics resolve the Traveler’s Dilemma. Journal of Theoretical Biology. 303 119-127. (PDF)
    
    
20. Rand DG, Nowak MA (2012) Evolutionary dynamics in finite populations can explain the full range of cooperative behaviors observed in the centipede game. Journal of Theoretical Biology 300 212-221. (PDF)
    
    
21. Ruelas RE, Rand DG, Rand RH (2012) Nonlinear Parametric Excitation of an Evolutionary Dynamical System. Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science. 226: 1912-1920. (PDF)
    



van Veelen M, Garcia J, Rand DG, Nowak MA (2012) Direct reciprocity in structured populations. PNAS. 109 9929-9934. (PDF)

Beale N*, Rand DG*, Battey H, Croxson K, May RM, Nowak MA. (2011) Individual versus systemic risk and the Regulator's Dilemma. PNAS 31 12647-12652. (PDF)

Rand DG, Nowak MA. (2011) The evolution of antisocial punishment in optional public goods games. Nature Communications. 2 434. (PDF)

22. Rand RH, Yahzbin M, Rand DG (2011) Evolutionary Dynamics of a System with Periodic Coefficients. Communicatios in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 16 3887–3895. (PDF)
    

23. Hill AL*, Rand DG*, Nowak MA, Christakis NA (2010) Emotions as infectious diseases in a large social network: the SISa model. Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, 277 3827-3835. (PDF)
    

24. Hill AL, Rand DG, Nowak MA, Christakis NA (2010) Infectious disease modeling of social contagion in networks. PLoS Computational Biology, 6, e1000968. (PDF)
    

25. Rand DG, Armao J, Nakamaru M, Ohtsuki H (2010) Anti-social punishment can prevent the co-evolution of punishment and cooperation. Journal of Theoretical Biology 265 624-632. (PDF)
    

26. Rand DG, Ohtsuki H, Nowak MA (2009) Direct reciprocity and costly punishment: Generous tit-for-tat prevails. Journal of Theoretical Biology 256, 45-57. (PDF)
    
    
27. Rand DG, Zhou Q, Buzzard G, Fox JJ (2008) Computationally efficient strategy for modeling the effect of ion current modifiers. IEEE Transactions on Bio-Medical Engineering, 55 3-13. (PDF)
    
    



Crowdsourcing behavioral experiments using online labor markets


28. Pfeiffer T, Gao XA, Mao A, Chen Y, Rand, DG (2012) Adaptive Information Polling and Aggregation. Proceedings of the Twenty-Sixth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-12).(PDF)
    
    
29. Amir O, Rand DG, Gal YK. (2012) Economic Games on the Internet: The Effect of $1 Stakes. PLoS ONE 7 e31461. (PDF)
    
    
30. Rand DG (2012) The promise of Mechanical Turk: How online labor markets can help theorists run behavioral experiments. Journal of Theoretical Biology 299, 172-179. (PDF)
    
    
31. Horton JJ, Rand DG, Zeckhauser RJ. (2011) The Online Laboratory: Conducting Experiments in a Real Labor Market. Experimental Economics. 14 399-425. (PDF)
    
    



Science of science


32. Pfeiffer T, Rand DG, Dreber A (2009) Decision-making in research tasks with sequential testing. PLoS ONE 4, e4607. (PDF) (Data)
    
    
33. Rand DG, Pfeiffer T (2009) Systematic differences in impact across publication tracks at PNAS. PLoS ONE 4, e8092. (PDF)
    
    



Behavioral genetics


34. [Working paper] Dreber A*, Rand DG*, Wernerfelt NC, Montgomery CA, Malhotra D. (2012) Genetic Correlates of Economic and Social Risk Taking. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2141601. (PDF)
    
    
35. [Working paper] Wernerfelt NC*, Rand DG*, Dreber A, Montgomery CA, Malhotra D. (2012) Arginine Vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a) RS3 repeat polymorphism associated with entrepreneurship. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2141598. (PDF)
    
    
36. Dreber A, Rand DG, Wernerfelt NC, Garcia JR, Lum JK, Zeckhauser RJ. (2011) Dopamine and Risk Choices in Different Domains: Findings Among Serious Tournament Bridge Players. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 43, 19-38. (PDF) (Bridge quiz and answers)
    
    
37. [Working paper] Dreber A, Rand DG, Wernerfelt N, Garcia JR, Lum JK, Zeckhauser RJ. (2011). The Dopamine Receptor D4 Gene (DRD4) and Self-Reported Risk Taking in the Economic Domain. HKS Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP11-042. (PDF)
    
    



Commentaries and popular press articles


38. Dreber A, Rand DG. (2012) Retaliation and anti-social punishment are overlooked in many theoretical models as well as behavioral experiments, Behavioral and Brain Sciences 35, 24. (PDF) - Commentary on Guala "Reciprocity: Weak or strong? What punishment experiments do (and do not) demonstrate".
    
    
39. Haque OS, Rand DR. (2012) Religion goes into the science lab. Wired UK “The World in 2013” Special Edition. (PDF)
    
    
40. Peysakhovich A, Rand DG. (2012) Small is good when it comes to data creation. Wired UK “The World in 2013” Special Edition. (PDF)
    
    
41. Haque OS, Shenhav A, Rand DG. (2011) Differences in cognitive style, emotional processing and ideology as crucial variables in understanding meaning making, Religion, Brain & Behavior 1, 223-225. (PDF) - Commentary on Inzlicht et al. "The need to believe: a neuroscience account of religion as a motivated process".
    
    
42. Rand DG, Dreber A, Ellingsen T, Fudenberg D, Nowak MA (2009) Weighing Reward and Punishment — Response. Science 326, 1632-1633. (PDF)
    
    
43. Rand DG, Nowak MA (2009) How reputation could save the Earth. New Scientist, 2734 28-29. (PDF)
    
    

Interviews / Talks

Music