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Updated: Oct 3, 2026

The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm
Published on: October 20, 2022
Egalitarianism boosts collective intelligence
Vivek V Venkataraman1, Thomas S Kraft2
1Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canadavivek.venkataraman@ucalgary.ca.
Abstract:
The target article by Stibbard Hawkes and von Rueden (SHVR) provides useful terminological housekeeping, but its individualistic account of egalitarianism in small-scale societies risks overlooking important group-level functions. We argue that egalitarian norms are not merely by-products of individual strategies but actively sustain cooperation, coordination, and collective decision-making, enhancing group stability and collective intelligence. A full account of egalitarianism must integrate both individual-level processes and emergent group-level outcomes. Egalitarianism not only constrains inequality but also underwrites the cooperative capacities of small-scale societies.
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