Evolution and Cooperation Exam

Replicators

Things that copy themselves (like genes)

Why?: Evolution happens because things copy and pass on traits

Adaption

A trait that helps you survive or reproduce better

Think: Useful trait shaped by evolution

EEA

The environment where a trait originally evolved

Ex: We crave sugar because food was scarce in the past

Novel environment problem

Old traits don’t always work in modern environments

Ex: Junk food —> we overeat

What is a major evolutionary transition

When smaller units cooperate and become one bigger unit

Ex: cells —> human body

Fraternal Route

Same individuals specialize (division of labor)

Ex: same group splits roles

Egalitarian route

Different organisms work together

Ex: different groups team up

Collective Action Problem

Everyone benefits if people cooperate, but individuals have an incentive not to contribute

Remember: Everyone wants the benefit, but hopes others do the work

Free Rider

Someone who benefits from a group effort without helping

Ex: Group project, one person does no work but still gets the same grade as everyone else

Tragedy of the commons

People overuse shared resources because no one owns them

Ex: overfishing

What did Olson say about cooperation?

People won’t cooperate unless they’re forced or rewarded

Why are small groups better at cooperating?

• You matter more

• Easier to monitor

• Harder to free ride

Selective Benefits

Rewards only members get

Ex: Discounts, status, money

Prisoner’s Dilemma

You’re better off cheating, even though cooperation would help both

Ex: Selfish choices ruin cooperation

Stag Hunt

Cooperation is best, but only if you trust others

Snowdrift Game

Someone has to do the work, but you’d rather the other person do it

Kin selection

Helping relatives because they share your genes

Ex: You help family to pass on your genes indirectly

Hamilton’s Rule

Help someone if their gain is bigger than your loss (weighted by relatedness)

Reciprocity

I help you, you help me later

Mutualism

Both people benefit immediately

Remember: instant win-win

System 1 thinking

Fast, automatic thinking

Ex: gut reaction

System 2 thinking

Slow, logical thinking

Ex: careful thinking

Why do humans have white eyes?

To see where others are looking —> helps coordination

Shared Intentionality

Ability to work toward shared goals

Theory of Mind

Understanding what others are thinking or believe

Fitness interdependence

Your success depends on others’ success

Ex: teammates, families, societies

By-product mutualism

You help others while helping yourself

Remember: Helping yourself = accidentally helping others

Risk pooling

People share resources to reduce uncertainty

Remember: share now survive later

Coordination Problem

A situation where everyone wants the same outcome, but they have to match their actions to get it

Ex: Driving on the same side of the road

Common knowledge

Everyone knows something

Ex: Everyone sees the same announcement that the exam is Monday

Common metaknowledge

When everyone knows something AND knows that others know

Ex: The teacher announces in class that the exam is Monday, and everyone hears it

Emergence

Big patterns come from simple individual actions

Remember: No leader, but order appears

Ex: Languages, no one invented it all at once, but they developed from people communicating over time

Spontaneous order

Order that forms naturally without a leader or central control

Ex: People forming a line at a store without being told to

Symbiosis

Different species living and working together

Mitochondria

Former independent bacteria that now live inside our cells and produce energy

Ex: Cells are built from cooperation between species

Dicty slime molds

Single cells that temporarily cooperate to form a multicellular structure

Idea: Cooperation depends on relatedness

Kombucha

Drink made by bacteria and yeast living together

Example of symbiosis (cooperation between species)

Indirect Reciprocity

Helping someone to build a good reputation

Ex: Being kind so others trust you

Audience effects

People act more cooperative when being watched

Remember: Humans cooperate because they care about reputation

Reputation

What others think about your behavior

Remember: Humans cooperate because they care about reputation

Cooperator detection

Ability to tell who is trustworthy

Public goods game

People decide if they should contribute to a shared resource

Trust game

Measures trust and return behavior

Minimum effort game

Group success depends on the lowest effort member

Frames, scripts, schemata

Mental shortcuts for understanding situations

Ethnic Markers

Visible signs that show group membership

Coalitional Psychology

Humans naturally form groups and alliances

Cultural Drift

Random changes in culture over time

Törbel

Swiss village that successfully manages shared resources

Vampire bat blood sharing

Bats share food with others who failed to feed

Remember: Sharing helps survival in unpredictable environments

Koryak generosity

Cultural norm of sharing resources

Cultural group selection

Groups with better cooperation outcompete others

Hard-to-fake signals

costly behaviors that prove commitment

Why does religion promote cooperation?

It signals commitment and builds trust

Religious vs secular communes

Religious groups often cooperate better due to stronger commitment signals

Remember: Costly behavior = proof you’re serious

Kivas/circular structures

Spaces that help create shared awareness

Remember: Coordination works when everyone knows others know (metaknowledge)

Social coordination norms

Rules that help people coordinate behavior

Invisible-hand explanation

Individual actions unintentionally create group patterns

Remember: Order can form without anyone planning it

Ephermeral vs stable emergents

Temporary vs long-lasting patterns

Zero-sum thinking

The belief that if one person wins, someone else has to lose

Remember: This mindset can reduce cooperation

Image of the Limited Good

Belief that resources are fixed and limited

Remember: This mindset can reduce cooperation