Dr. Felix Warneken
University of Michigan, USA
The Origins of Cooperation: Evidence from Children and Chimpanzees
Humans
are
able
to
cooperate
with
others
in
sophisticated,
flexible
ways:
sharing
valuable
resources,
assisting
others
who
need
help,
and
working
collaboratively
in
teams.
These
behaviors
are
regulated
by
norms
of
fairness
about
the
best
way
to
distribute
resources
and
how
to
treat
uncooperative
individuals.
However,
the
origins
of
these
behaviors
are
contested.
Are
humans
initially
driven
by
purely
selfish
motives
and
must
be
taught
to
be
cooperative?
Or
do
we
have
a
biological
predisposition
for
cooperation?
How
do
humans
learn
to
share
a
common
resource
according
to
what’s
‘fair’?
Here
I
show
how
experimental
studies
with
children
and
chimpanzees
can
provide
unique
insights
into
these
questions,
including
studies
on
altruistic
behavior,
inequity
aversion,
and
third-party
punishment.
By
studying
children,
we
can
examine
the
interplay
of
biological
predispositions
and
how
they
are
shaped
by
social
norms
and
experiences.
By
in
addition
looking
at
our
closest
evolutionary
relatives,
we
can
determine
what
aspects
are
human-specific
and
which
aspects
have
deeper
evolutionary
roots.
Reception to follow in PAS 3026 (ABC Room)