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The evolution of reciprocal sharing

Moore, Jim (1984) The evolution of reciprocal sharing. [Journal (Paginated)]

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Abstract

Genetical models of the evolution of reciprocal altruism (as distinct from cooperation, mutualism, or nepotism) have difficulty explaining the initial establishment of an altruist gene in a selfish deme. Though potential mechanisms have been suggested, there is an alternative: much "altruistic" behavior may in fact be purely selfish in origin and consequently reciprocity need not be invoked to provide a selective benefit to the actor. _Sharing_ and _helping_ are fundamentally different behavior categories and should not be confused. Patterns of resource sharing in chimpanzees correspond to predictions made by a selfish model but not to those of a reciprocal altruism model, and many observations of human gift exchange are consistent with the selfish, but not the altruistic, model. This suggests that presumed hominid meat exchange may have been the result of competition, not altruism or even cooperation, and that evolutionary models of "altruistic" behavior should be treated with caution.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:reciprocity, altruism, chimpanzee, rank, cooperation, share, hominid
Subjects:Biology > Animal Behavior
Biology > Behavioral Biology
Biology > Ethology
Biology > Evolution
Biology > Primatology
Biology > Sociobiology
Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology
ID Code:175
Deposited By: Moore, Jim
Deposited On:06 Sep 1998
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:53

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