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On Love and Altruism

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  • FRIEDEL BOLLE

    (University of Hamburg)

Abstract

Welfare interdependencies between individuals are sometimes expressed as consumption externalities and sometimes as utility externalities. Besides the question of whether it is possible to decide between these approaches on the basis of observations, the connection of the approaches is rather interesting. The derivation of consumption externalities from utility externalities is nontrivial and allows far-reaching interpretations. Widespread love within a group has strong positive effects; widespread hate has surprisingly little consequences. Common “friends†as well as common “enemies†can cause altruistic (efficient) behavior within a group. There are also implications for reciprocal behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Friedel Bolle, 1991. "On Love and Altruism," Rationality and Society, , vol. 3(2), pages 197-214, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:3:y:1991:i:2:p:197-214
    DOI: 10.1177/1043463191003002004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Otto, Philipp E. & Bolle, Friedel, 2011. "Multiple facets of altruism and their influence on blood donation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 558-563.
    2. Kritikos, Alexander S. & Bolle, Friedel & Tan, Jonathan H.W., 2007. "The economics of solidarity: A conceptual framework," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 73-89, February.
    3. Khalil, Elias L., 2004. "What is altruism?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 97-123, February.
    4. Trond Petersen, 1992. "Individual, Collective, and Systems Rationality in Work Groups," Rationality and Society, , vol. 4(3), pages 332-355, July.
    5. Elias Khalil, 2009. "Natural selection and rational decision: two concepts of optimization," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 417-435, June.
    6. PETER van WIJCK, 1993. "On Equity and Utility," Rationality and Society, , vol. 5(1), pages 68-84, January.
    7. Kritikos, Alexander & Bolle, Friedel, 2001. "Distributional concerns: equity- or efficiency-oriented?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 73(3), pages 333-338, December.
    8. Bolle, Friedel, 2000. "Is altruism evolutionarily stable? And envy and malevolence?: Remarks on Bester and Guth," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 131-133, May.
    9. Friedel Bolle & Alexander Kritikos, 2006. "Reciprocity, Altruism, Solidarity: A Dynamic Model," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 371-394, June.
    10. Friedel Bolle, 2001. "Why to Buy Your Darling Flowers: On Cooperation and Exploitation," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 1-28, February.
    11. Bolle, Friedel & Okhrin, Yarema & Vogel, Claudia, 2009. "A note on interdependent happiness," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 713-721, October.

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