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Social selection is a powerful explanation for prosociality
1Center for Evolution and Medicine,Arizona State University,Tempe,AZ 85287-4501.nesse@asu.eduhttp://RandolphNesse.com.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|August 27, 2016
Summary
Social selection, not just group selection, powerfully explains human cooperation. Self-interested partner choices drive the evolution of prosocial traits, enhancing social bonds and partnerships.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Social psychology
- Human behavior
Background:
- Cultural group selection is a known driver of human cooperation.
- Existing theories may not fully capture the mechanisms of prosocial trait evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose social selection as a primary driver of human prosociality.
- To explain how partner choice can lead to extreme prosocial traits.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of social dynamics.
- Analysis of partner choice mechanisms in social selection.
Main Results:
- Social selection provides a more potent explanation for human cooperation than group selection.
- Self-interested partner choices can create strong evolutionary pressure for prosocial traits.
- This process can occur without reliance on group selection, kin selection, or reciprocity.
Conclusions:
- Social selection is a key evolutionary mechanism shaping human cooperation.
- Understanding partner choice is crucial for comprehending the evolution of prosociality.
- This framework offers a parsimonious explanation for complex social behaviors.
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