"The Evolutionary Basis of Collective Action"

by Bowles, Samuel; Gintis, Herbert (2011)

Abstract

This article discusses two problems in the study of political behaviours that support collective action. It reviews recent behavioural experiments documenting the variety and extent of these so called social preferences, as well as the manner in which the existence of individuals — even a minority — can affect group behaviour dramatically. This article shows that repeated interactions and kin-based altruism do not provide an adequate account of the forms of cooperation detected in natural and experimental settings.

Keywords

Empirical Research, Co-Operation, Evolution, Collective Action

Themes

Evolutionary Theory, Anthropology of Work

Links to Reference

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199604456.013.0042

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