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Evolutionary Psychology01:20

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 12, 2026

The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior
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The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior

Published on: January 19, 2019

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Human cooperation: the race to give.

Gilbert Roberts1

  • 1Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.

Current Biology : CB
|May 20, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Men donate more to attractive female fundraisers, prompting other men to also donate. This competitive altruism demonstrates how prosocial behavior can be a strategy for attracting mates.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Economics
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Competitive altruism is a theory suggesting that altruistic acts can serve as a display to attract mates.
  • Previous research has explored competitive altruism in various social contexts, but field evidence, particularly in online donation settings, is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenomenon of competitive altruism in the context of online charity donations.
  • To examine whether male donations to attractive female fundraisers influence the donation behavior of other males.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a large dataset of online charity donations.
  • Statistical examination of donation patterns in relation to fundraiser attractiveness and donor demographics.
  • Utilizing field data to provide real-world evidence for the 'competitive altruism' hypothesis.

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Main Results:

  • A significant positive correlation was found between the attractiveness of female fundraisers and the size of donations made by males.
  • The donations of other males increased when a male made a large donation to an attractive female fundraiser.
  • This pattern provides empirical support for the role of altruism as a mating display.

Conclusions:

  • Online charity donations can serve as a platform for demonstrating 'competitive altruism'.
  • Prosocial behavior, such as donating to charity, can be influenced by sexual selection.
  • Findings suggest that mating strategies can manifest in economic behaviors, such as charitable giving.