Altruists can outsmart selfish agents in game of giving.
The article "Samaritan versus rotten kid: Another look" explores a game where one kind person interacts with selfish individuals. The study shows that the kind person can achieve the best outcome when they act first, as long as the selfish individuals' actions only slightly impact their own rewards. On the other hand, if the selfish individuals cannot manipulate their own rewards, the kind person does better by acting last.