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Chimpanzees are indifferent to the welfare of unrelated group members

Author

Listed:
  • Joan B. Silk

    (University of California)

  • Sarah F. Brosnan

    (Emory University
    The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

  • Jennifer Vonk

    (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

  • Joseph Henrich

    (Emory University)

  • Daniel J. Povinelli

    (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

  • Amanda S. Richardson

    (The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

  • Susan P. Lambeth

    (The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

  • Jenny Mascaro

    (The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

  • Steven J. Schapiro

    (The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)

Abstract

Law of the jungle There is plenty of evidence — some of it cited in this week's Review Article — that humans care about the welfare of others and will provide costly assistance even to strangers. Frans de Waal has argued that ’other-regarding sentiments’ may be deep-rooted in primate evolutionary history. But a test for such behaviour in chimpanzees has drawn a blank. They spurn the chance to deliver benefits to unrelated but familiar individuals at no cost to themselves, cooperating only with their kin and partners.

Suggested Citation

  • Joan B. Silk & Sarah F. Brosnan & Jennifer Vonk & Joseph Henrich & Daniel J. Povinelli & Amanda S. Richardson & Susan P. Lambeth & Jenny Mascaro & Steven J. Schapiro, 2005. "Chimpanzees are indifferent to the welfare of unrelated group members," Nature, Nature, vol. 437(7063), pages 1357-1359, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:437:y:2005:i:7063:d:10.1038_nature04243
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04243
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Terence Burnham, 2015. "Public goods with high-powered punishment: high cooperation and low efficiency," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 173-187, July.
    2. Tremblay, Ethan & Hupper, Afton & Waring, Timothy, 2019. "Cooperatives exhibit greater cooperation than comparable businesses: experimental evidence," SocArXiv 6x9p3, Center for Open Science.
    3. Brosnan, Sarah F., 2011. "An evolutionary perspective on morality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 23-30, January.
    4. Nicolas Baumard, 2011. "Punishment is not a group adaptation," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, June.
    5. Orlaith N Fraser & Thomas Bugnyar, 2010. "Do Ravens Show Consolation? Responses to Distressed Others," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(5), pages 1-8, May.
    6. DeAngelo, Gregory & Brosnan, Sarah F., 2013. "The importance of risk tolerance and knowledge when considering the evolution of inequity responses across the primates," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 90(S), pages 105-112.
    7. Gintis, Herbert, 2016. "Homo Ludens: Social rationality and political behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PB), pages 95-109.
    8. Jorg J M Massen & Lisette M van den Berg & Berry M Spruijt & Elisabeth H M Sterck, 2010. "Generous Leaders and Selfish Underdogs: Pro-Sociality in Despotic Macaques," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(3), pages 1-5, March.
    9. van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M. & Gowdy, John M., 2009. "A group selection perspective on economic behavior, institutions and organizations," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 1-20, October.
    10. Shinya Yamamoto & Tatyana Humle & Masayuki Tanaka, 2009. "Chimpanzees Help Each Other upon Request," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(10), pages 1-7, October.
    11. Winter, Fabian & Rauhut, Heiko & Miller, Luis, 2018. "Dynamic Bargaining and Normative Conflict," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 112-126.
    12. Chris Knight, 2008. "Language co-evolved with the rule of law," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 7(1), pages 109-128, June.
    13. Judith Maria Burkart & Katja Rueth, 2013. "Preschool Children Fail Primate Prosocial Game Because of Attentional Task Demands," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(7), pages 1-11, July.
    14. Brosnan, Sarah F. & Price, Sara A. & Leverett, Kelly & Prétôt, Laurent & Beran, Michael & Wilson, Bart J., 2017. "Human and monkey responses in a symmetric game of conflict with asymmetric equilibria," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 293-306.

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