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Do we harm others even if we don't need to?


ABSTRACT: Evolutionary explanations of the co-existence of large-scale cooperation and warfare in human societies rest on the hypothesis of parochial altruism, the view that in-group pro-sociality and out-group anti-sociality have co-evolved. We designed an experiment that allows subjects to freely choose between actions that are purely pro-social, purely anti-social, or a combination of the two. We present behavioral evidence on the existence of strong aggression-a pattern of non-strategic behaviors that are welfare-reducing for all individuals (i.e., victims and perpetrators). We also show how strong aggression serves to dynamically stabilize in-group pro-sociality.

SUBMITTER: Cacault MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4451738 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Do we harm others even if we don't need to?

Cacault M Paula MP   Goette Lorenz L   Lalive Rafael R   Thoenig Mathias M  

Frontiers in psychology 20150602


Evolutionary explanations of the co-existence of large-scale cooperation and warfare in human societies rest on the hypothesis of parochial altruism, the view that in-group pro-sociality and out-group anti-sociality have co-evolved. We designed an experiment that allows subjects to freely choose between actions that are purely pro-social, purely anti-social, or a combination of the two. We present behavioral evidence on the existence of strong aggression-a pattern of non-strategic behaviors that  ...[more]

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