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Article
Evolution of Social Behavior: Individual and Group Selection
Journal of Economic Perspectives (2002)
  • Ted Bergstrom, University of California, Santa Barbara
Abstract

How selfish does our evolutionary history suggest that humans will be? We explore models in which groups are formed and dissolved and where reproduction of individuals is determined by their payoffs in a game played within groups. If groups are formed ``randomly'' and reproductive success of group founders is determined by a multi-person prisoners' dilemma game, then selfish behavior will prevail over maximization of group payoffs. However, interesting models exist in which ``group selection'' sustains cooperative behavior. Forces that support cooperative behavior include assortative matching in groups, group longevity, and punishment-based group norms.

Keywords
  • evolution,
  • group selection,
  • haystack model,
  • cultural evolution,
  • altruism,
  • assortative matching,
  • Hamilton's rule,
  • punishment
Disciplines
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Citation Information
Ted Bergstrom. "Evolution of Social Behavior: Individual and Group Selection" Journal of Economic Perspectives Vol. 16 Iss. 2 (2002)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ted_bergstrom/60/