fbpx

Welcome to Our Weekly Magazine

Become the best version of yourself Sign-up for our weekly magazine.

Become the best version of yourself today.

We send a weekly roundup of our best work and highlight standout community members. It's free, and you can always leave if it's not your jam.

Group Competition and Cooperation

Researchers from the Universities of Zurich, Lausanne, and Konstanz propose that both repeated interactions and group competition synergistically contribute to fostering cooperation in human evolution, challenging previous explanations. While the prevailing theory emphasizes the role of repeated interactions in promoting cooperation through reputational concerns and punishment of antisocial behavior, empirical evidence suggests cooperative behavior even in non-recurrent and anonymous interactions. An experiment conducted among indigenous people in Papua New Guinea reveals that individuals exhibit significant cooperation within their own community but much less with outsiders. The researchers argue that the simultaneous interaction of repeated interactions and group competition leads to super-additive cooperation, where repeated interactions create intra-group incentives for cooperation, while group competition stabilizes this cooperation by promoting uncooperative behavior towards outsiders. This combined approach suggests that social motives in human history evolved under the influence of both mechanisms.

Study

See medical disclaimer below.

The ideas expressed here are solely the opinions of the author and are not researched or verified by AGEIST LLC, or anyone associated with AGEIST LLC. This material should not be construed as medical advice or recommendation, it is for informational use only. We encourage all readers to discuss with your qualified practitioners the relevance of the application of any of these ideas to your life. The recommendations contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or stopping any treatment that has been prescribed for you by your physician or other qualified health provider. Please call your doctor or 911 immediately if you think you may have a medical or psychiatric emergency.

Taylor Marks
Taylor Marks is a certified holistic health coach and professionally trained chef from The Institute of Culinary Education. Her passions include the latest research in health science, culinary arts, holistic wellness, and guiding others towards feeling their best.