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Biological markets explain human ultrasociality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 June 2016

Mark Sheskin ,
Stéphane Lambert  and
Nicolas Baumard
Mark Sheskin
Affiliation:
Institut Jean-Nicod CNRS UMR 8129, Institut d'Etude de la Cognition, Ecole Normale Supérieure – PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France. msheskin@gmail.comstephane.r.lambert@gmail.comnbaumard@gmail.comhttp://marksheskin.comhttps://sites.google.com/site/nicolasbaumard/
Stéphane Lambert
Affiliation:
Institut Jean-Nicod CNRS UMR 8129, Institut d'Etude de la Cognition, Ecole Normale Supérieure – PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France. msheskin@gmail.comstephane.r.lambert@gmail.comnbaumard@gmail.comhttp://marksheskin.comhttps://sites.google.com/site/nicolasbaumard/
Nicolas Baumard
Affiliation:
Institut Jean-Nicod CNRS UMR 8129, Institut d'Etude de la Cognition, Ecole Normale Supérieure – PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France. msheskin@gmail.comstephane.r.lambert@gmail.comnbaumard@gmail.comhttp://marksheskin.comhttps://sites.google.com/site/nicolasbaumard/
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Abstract

The evidence Gowdy & Krall (G&K) provide is more consistent with a biological markets explanation of human ultrasociality than a group selection explanation. Specifically, large-scale societies provide a better biological market for cooperation than do small-scale societies, allowing individuals to increase their fitness. Importantly, many of the quality-of-life costs G&K discuss (e.g., patriarchy) are not fitness costs.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 39 , 2016 , e113
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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