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A behavioral analysis of altruism
Howard Rachlin1, Matthew Locey
1Psychology Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, United States. howard.rachlin@sunysb.edu
Behavioural Processes
|December 28, 2010
Summary
Three theories explain altruistic behavior in economic games: avoiding free-riding, extending self-interest beyond the current game, and social discounting of future benefits. These explanations for costly cooperation complement each other.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Game Theory
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Altruistic acts are costly actions benefiting others, observed in economic games.
- Prisoner's dilemma games show significant altruistic behavior, where cooperation benefits all but the cooperator.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore three distinct explanations for altruistic behavior in economic games.
- To propose a novel learning mechanism for altruism analogous to group selection.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of behavior in multi-player, one-shot prisoner's dilemma games.
- Theoretical modeling of three proposed explanations for altruism.
Main Results:
- Cooperation can arise from strategies to avoid free-riding.
- Altruism may stem from extending self-interest across time and social boundaries.
- Social discounting of benefits to others offers another explanation for altruistic acts.
Conclusions:
- The three proposed explanations for altruism are complementary.
- Understanding altruism requires considering strategies, extended self-interest, and social discounting.
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