Cooperation

Question 1

Reciprocity vs. Mutualism

- Def., Diff.

Answer 1

Reciprocity
= Strategy to sustain cooperation betw. members of same species
- Cooperation with delayed benefits for helper
- Mental book-keeping of debits and credits

Mutualism
= Independent interactions betw. members of different species
- Immediate benefit for both interaction partners

Question 2

Mutualism and reciprocity

- Empirical evidence

Answer 2

RECIPROCITY
- Direct reciprocity (Rats)
> B helps A, C prevented from helping A → A helps B more than C.
> Tit for Tat strategy: A help B, because B has helped A before (repeated prisoner’s dilemma game; Axelrod and Hamilton 1981)

• Generalised reciprocity (Rats)
  > Focal subject was more likely to help when it had made a positive experience before in contrast to a negative experience.
• Attitudinal reciprocity (Brown capuchins)
  > Food sharing: Reciprocal cooperation > Solo effort for individuals who have helped before.
• Grooming for help in conflict (Vervet monkeys) or for food (captive chimps)

MUTUALISM

• Fish and cleaners (Bsary 2006)
• Flowers and insects

Question 3

Forms of reciprocity

Answer 3

Direct vs. Indirect

• Direct: Reciprocal cooperation betw. same individuals who act repeatedly (A helps B since B has helped A before)
• Indirect: A watched B help C -> A helps B

Generalised reciprocity
= Effect of social experience independent of partner identity
- Positive experience leads to higher cooperation (generally)
> A helps anyone since it has been helped before

Attitudinal vs. Calculated

• Emotional vs. mental book-keeping
• Friends vs. anyone

Question 4

Mutualism and reciprocity

- Building blocks

Answer 4

• Impulse control > Delay of gratification

- Sense of fairness > Inequity avoidance

Question 5

Alliance vs. Coalition

- Def. and forms (alliances)

Answer 5

Alliance
= Cooperation in conflicts based on long-term relation (repeated support)
- Actor alliance: Interverner helps aggressor
> Ally with dom. ind.
- Reactor alliance: Intervener helps victim
> Beat up a usually stronger one

Coalition
= Situation-specific termporal cooperation betw. individuals (possibly unrelated and unknown) to achieve a common goal
> Politics

Question 6

Alliances and coalitions

- Benefits

Answer 6

Benefit for recipient of help:
Important impact on outcome of a conflict
> The one that receives help usually wins

Advantages for helper:
- Supporting dom. ind. -> Ally
- Supporting victim -> Beat up stronger ind.
- Can selectively use their affiliative RS (kin or non-kin)
> They decide if it’s worth it (make use of their knowledge about others!)