Differences in power explain where cooperation based on reciprocity will work and where it won’t.

What is it about?

Evolutionary theory predicts rigorous competition between individuals and therefore that our genes will be ‘selfish’. So why does apparent cooperative and selfless (or altruistic) behaviour exist in nature? Current theory suggests that we cooperate better with blood relatives who share many of our genes, thus demonstrating the ‘selfishness’ of genes. In the case of cooperation among non-relatives reciprocity is seen as the answer (‘you scratch my back: I’ll scratch yours’). It is argued here that reciprocity will break down where there are differences in power among individuals because more powerful individuals will always choose to act selfishly in exploiting subordinates rather than cooperating with them. Differences (or asymmetry) in power between individuals are common in social species. But even in species where there is equal (symmetric) power between individuals it is argued that there is still scope for individuals to exploit others - and therefore for reciprocity to fail. Only in a small number of special cases identified here might reciprocity actually work.

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Why is it important?

Cooperative and altruistic behaviour appears at first sight to contradict evolutionary theory and these behaviours are therefore a major puzzle for evolutionary biologists. Seeing nature from the perspective of asymmetry and symmetry in power helps us understand where reciprocity might result in altruism and cooperation and where it won’t.

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