Understanding the egalitarian revolution in human social evolution
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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior
Published on: January 19, 2019
1Section for Animal Ecology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden. erik.svensson@zooekol.lu.se
Abstract:
Humans are unique among animals in cooperating in large groups of unrelated individuals, with a high degree of resource sharing. These features challenge traditional evolutionary theories built on kin selection or reciprocity. A recent theoretical model by Gavrilets and colleagues takes a fresh look at the 'egalitarian revolution' that separates humans from our closest relatives, the great apes. The model suggests that information from within-group conflicts leads to the emergence of cooperative alliances and social networks.
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