Cooperation and social preferences

Seminar organized by Jean Decety, 2021-2022  Paris IAS Fellow, as part of the "Social neuroscience" series

While cooperation arises at all levels of biological organization, from genomes, complex cells and multicellular organisms, humans are exceptional in that cooperation extends beyond close kin, to include total strangers, and occurs on a much larger scale than other species. Gene–culture coevolution is responsible for human social preferences, which account for our remarkable evolutionary success. Self-interest, however, is still an important motivator. Both prosocial and egoistic motivations shape decision-making in predictable ways.

With the participation of Henri Bergeron (sociologist) – SciencesPo & CNRS.

Recommended readings:

- Buchan, N. R., Grimalda, G., Wilson, R., Brewer, M., Fatas, E., & Foddy, M. (2009). Globalization and human cooperation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(11), 4138-4142.

- Cohn, A., Maréchal, M. A., Tannenbaum, D., & Zünd, C. L. (2019). Civic honesty around the globe. Science, 365(6448), 70-73.

- Piazza, J., & Bering, J. M. (2008). Concerns about reputation via gossip promote generous allocations in an economic game. Evolution and Human Behavior, 29, 172-178.