Group behaviour

1. Group behaviour

2. Group behaviour • group behaviour • The Selfish Gene is a book on by Richard Dawkings, 1976 • Animal are kind to kin • Animals are kind to non-kin • Warning cries (help others at your own risk) • Food sharing (the case of vampire bats)

3. Individuals benefit more by working together than working alone. • The benefits outweigh the cost • Reciprocal altruism • But there is a problem.... • The existence of cheaters (in economic and sociology they are called free-riders)

4. So how can altruism evolve? • Cooperation is unstable • Advantage to genes that lead animal to reap the benefits without paying the costs • Gene A accepts blood from others, share blood • Gene B accepts blood from others, don’t share blood • Gene B will out reproduce Gene A • Warning cries/ buying drinks

5. Cheater detection • Reciprocal altruism can only evolve if animals punish cheaters • This requires a mental apparatus • Recognising cheater • Remembering the cheater • Punish the cheater

6. A case–study on cooperationThe prisoner’s dilemma • The best case is to defect while the other person cooperate. • The worst case is to cooperate while the other person defects. • Best for both is if each cooperate • Worse for both is if each defect

15. I want to buy Marijuana from you • I have 1000€ • Let’s meet behind the gym nobody is going to call the cops so: I could go there with a gun and get the Marijuana without paying He could come with a gun and take my money

16. Practice!! • 3 euros each both coop • 5 euros /0 euros

17. 63 computer programmes in the 1980s • The winner is “Tit-for-Tat” ( by Anatol Rapparport) • The programme opens by cooperating, then plays what the other played in the previous game. • Punish for selfish behaviour, reward for cooperative behaviour. • Be NICE you meet someone • Not an idiot if you defect I will defect back • Forgiving –once you are nice it will be nice right back • Transparent- easy to figure out how to work together for mutual gain

18. The ultimate game Player A has 10 euros Player B Player A can offer from 1 t0 10 B can accept (cooperate) you share the money B can reject (defect) nobody gets anything. 5 time in a row

19. Psychologists believe • A rational person is easily exploited. • There is some advantage to being irrational, people are forced by dint of your irrationality to treat you better. • The irrational reaction/violence varies from culture to culture. • Violence due to disrespect • the “culture of honour”

20. Properties of the Culture of Honour • One cannot rely on law. • Resources are easily taken. • Western Cowboys • Masai Warriers • American South has more of a culture of honour than the American North. • Corporal punishment is more approved of. • Attitudes towards the military are more positive. • More violence (not less safety)

21. Nisbet &Wilson made a psychological experiments. • American Caucasian students. • A graduate students bump into the person looks at him and says “Asshole” • Students from the American South showed higher hormone response and stress response, testerone level and cortisol level increased.

22. The Robbers Cave study • 11-12 years old boys at a 3 week camping program • Well adjusted WASPs • Separate cabins, leaders • “Eagles” and “Rattlers” • Distinctive cultures • within group solidarity • Negative stereotyping • Hostility raids violence

23. The Robbers Cave Study • Attempts to reduce hostility between the groups: • Peace talks • Individual competitions • Shared meals • Shared movies • Fun with firecrackers • Sermons on brotherly love

24. The Robbers Cave Study What could bring them together?

25. A SUPERORDINATE GOAL (a common ememy)