Cooperation Flashcards
Benefits of Group Living
cooperative hunting in species; cooperative behavior b/w species; group defense; vigilance parenting; foraging
ex: fish swimming inside shark’s mouth to clean it & protect it from parasites – not eaten
Costs of Group Living
social hierarchies
Collective Intelligence
solo fish swim randomly, larger groups are better at avoiding shifting light
Altruism - what, why, examples
- pure sacrifice; not actually to benefit group… genes-eye view, inclusive fitness, kin selection
ex: nighthawk feigns injury; female gazelles stotting; alpha male baboons & other primates sacrificing selves to protect group & resources; soldier termites; soldier ants; honey bees stinging you sacrificing organs to save others/nest; sterile worker bees - only queen bee reproduces & lays eggs
Genes-Eye View
instead of focusing on individual, focus on gene & how it can most effectively be passed down (if die to protect relatives, most of your genes are passed down)
Inclusive fitness
Organism’s classical fitness (# of own offspring it produces & supports) + # of equivalents of own offspring it can add to population by supporting others
Gene-Level Selection
Coefficient of relatedness; inclusive fitness = direct + indirect
Hamilton’s Rule
Altruism will happen when rB - c > 0
(relatedness) (benefit) - (cost) > 0
- - need for kin selection & kin recognition
ex: squirrels giving alarm call & role of relatedness - won’t give alarm call if not many others around (can save self), will if more kin around (sacrifices self)
ex: bee eaters (birds) more likely to help w/nest building for closer relatives compared to cousins.. or to unrelated.
Human Kin Selection
asymmetry in parental certainty (mothers sure of parentage, but fathers have to assume it)
ex: polygamous mormon culture: much more likely to help & favor full siblings vs. half-siblings
ex: grandparents & parents less assured on paternal vs. maternal level – maternal gma much more likely to help & favor than paternal gpa
The Dilemma of Cooperation
when occurs b/w unrelated individuals; cannot be sure that others will cooperate since non-cooperation most rational
Prisoner’s Dilemma
2 criminals caught by police & interrogated separately:
- if player A cooperates/defects, player B should defect
- no matter what, self-interested player will defect
- dilemma: if joint strategy, better results, but most rational behavior can result in least favorable outcome
+ changes with repeated interaction … tit for tat
Tit-for-Tat
If player A cooperates, player B cooperates; if defects, defects
+ Tit-for-Two-Tats: slow to anger, quick to forgive
+ Generous Tit-for-Tat: if coomunication involved, forgives 2 defections
Innate Altruism
examples:
- toddler picks up peg for man
- toddler opens closet for man
- toddler picks up blocks for man
- toddler finds spoon for man
- 18 m.o. helps others achieve goal in variety of different situations
+ requires both understanding of others’ goals & altruistic motivation to help
Collaboration –> Equal Sharing
3 y.o. moreso than 2 y.o.
examples:
- elephants pulling ropes together to get food (also, freeloaders)
LESS cooperation b/c animals do not really have ability to PUNISH
- chimps ganging up 3:2 to kill other chimps in territory
- chimps work together to pull rope - prefer best collaborator so will switch after failed attempt
- human-raised chimps: potential for it (learned); varies based on testosterone
- chimp won’t collaborate in pulling w/other chimps, but will eventually realize if collaborating w/human; will ask for human help
- chimps won’t markedly make prosocial choice (60% of time do) … missing MOTIVATION - release of oxytocin - as in infants
.. usually only food related tasks will collaborate
