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Human large-scale cooperation as a product of competition between cultural groups

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  • Carla Handley

    (Arizona State University
    Arizona State University)

  • Sarah Mathew

    (Arizona State University
    Arizona State University)

Abstract

A fundamental puzzle of human evolution is how we evolved to cooperate with genetically unrelated strangers in transient interactions. Group-level selection on culturally differentiated populations is one proposed explanation. We evaluate a central untested prediction of Cultural Group Selection theory, by assessing whether readiness to cooperate between individuals from different groups corresponds to the degree of cultural similarity between those groups. We documented the normative beliefs and cooperative dispositions of 759 individuals spanning nine clans nested within four pastoral ethnic groups of Kenya—the Turkana, Samburu, Rendille and Borana. We find that cooperation between groups is predicted by how culturally similar they are, suggesting that norms of cooperation in these societies have evolved under the influence of group-level selection on cultural variation. Such selection acting over human evolutionary history may explain why we cooperate readily with unrelated and unfamiliar individuals, and why humans’ unprecedented cooperative flexibility is nevertheless culturally parochial.

Suggested Citation

  • Carla Handley & Sarah Mathew, 2020. "Human large-scale cooperation as a product of competition between cultural groups," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-14416-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14416-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Pierre O. Jacquet & Farid Pazhoohi & Charles Findling & Hugo Mell & Coralie Chevallier & Nicolas Baumard, 2021. "Predictive modeling of religiosity, prosociality, and moralizing in 295,000 individuals from European and non-European populations," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Sönke Ehret & Sara M. Constantino & Elke U. Weber & Charles Efferson & Sonja Vogt, 2022. "Group identities can undermine social tipping after intervention," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(12), pages 1669-1679, December.
    3. Przepiorka, Wojtek & Andreas, Diekmann, 2021. "Parochial cooperation and the emergence of signalling norms," SocArXiv 9tg2f, Center for Open Science.
    4. Alberto Micheletti, 2020. "Modelling cultural selection on biological fitness to integrate social transmission and adaptive explanations for human behaviour," Post-Print hal-02563204, HAL.

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