Abstract

Human cooperation is very different from that observed in other mammals. Most striking, humans cooperate on much larger scales than other mammals. It is widely accepted that such large-scale cooperation is maintained by norms enforced by third parties. However, humans are also exceptional cooperators at smaller scales compared to most other vertebrates. The fact that humans engage in more small-scale cooperation than other vertebrates is not satisfactorily explained by theories that invoke reciprocity or inclusive fitness. In this talk, I argue that the enforcement of norms by third parties is also crucial for the evolution small-scale cooperation in humans. This can account for the far greater degree of small-scale cooperation in humans than in most other vertebrates, and the commonalities between small- and large-scale human cooperation. It also helps explain how, as the rate of cultural evolution accelerated, cultural group selection could have led to norm enforcement at the larger scales of cultural groups.

Reference

Robert Boyd (Arizona State University), “The Puzzles of Human Cooperation”, IAST Biology and Economics Seminar, Toulouse: IAST, September 20, 2013, 11:30–12:30, room MS001.