1
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Ross CT, McElreath R, Redhead D. Modelling animal network data in R using STRAND. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:254-266. [PMID: 37936514 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
There have been recent calls for wider application of generative modelling approaches in applied social network analysis. At present, however, it remains difficult for typical end users-for example, field researchers-to implement generative network models, as there is a dearth of openly available software packages that make application of such models as simple as other, permutation-based approaches. Here, we outline the STRAND R package, which provides a suite of generative models for Bayesian analysis of animal social network data that can be implemented using simple, base R syntax. To facilitate ease of use, we provide a tutorial demonstrating how STRAND can be used to model proportion, count or binary network data using stochastic block models, social relation models or a combination of the two modelling frameworks. STRAND facilitates the application of generative network models to a broad range of data found in the animal social networks literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody T Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Richard McElreath
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Redhead
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Nichols R, Charbonneau M, Chellappoo A, Davis T, Haidle M, Kimbrough EO, Moll H, Moore R, Scott-Phillips T, Purzycki BG, Segovia-Martin J. Cultural evolution: A review of theoretical challenges. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2024; 6:e12. [PMID: 38516368 PMCID: PMC10955367 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2024.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid growth of cultural evolutionary science, its expansion into numerous fields, its use of diverse methods, and several conceptual problems have outpaced corollary developments in theory and philosophy of science. This has led to concern, exemplified in results from a recent survey conducted with members of the Cultural Evolution Society, that the field lacks 'knowledge synthesis', is poorly supported by 'theory', has an ambiguous relation to biological evolution and uses key terms (e.g. 'culture', 'social learning', 'cumulative culture') in ways that hamper operationalization in models, experiments and field studies. Although numerous review papers in the field represent and categorize its empirical findings, the field's theoretical challenges receive less critical attention even though challenges of a theoretical or conceptual nature underlie most of the problems identified by Cultural Evolution Society members. Guided by the heterogeneous 'grand challenges' emergent in this survey, this paper restates those challenges and adopts an organizational style requisite to discussion of them. The paper's goal is to contribute to increasing conceptual clarity and theoretical discernment around the most pressing challenges facing the field of cultural evolutionary science. It will be of most interest to cultural evolutionary scientists, theoreticians, philosophers of science and interdisciplinary researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Nichols
- Department of Philosophy, CSU Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
- Center for the Study of Human Nature, CSU Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Mathieu Charbonneau
- Africa Institute for Research in Economics and Social Sciences, Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Azita Chellappoo
- School of Social Sciences and Global Studies, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Taylor Davis
- Department of Philosophy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Miriam Haidle
- Research Center ‘The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans’, Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Erik O. Kimbrough
- Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Henrike Moll
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Richard Moore
- Department of Philosophy, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, UK
| | - Thom Scott-Phillips
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Institute for Logic, Cognition, Language & Information, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Benjamin Grant Purzycki
- Benjamin Grant Purzycki, Department of the Study of Religion, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jose Segovia-Martin
- M6 Polytechnic University, Rabat, Morocco
- Complex Systems Institute, Paris Île-de-France, Paris, France
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3
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Jeffries EML, Wright SE, Lew-Levy S. A game of raids: Expanding on a game theoretical approach utilising the prisoner's dilemma and ethnography in situ. Behav Brain Sci 2024; 47:e14. [PMID: 38224043 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23002510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
In this commentary, we set out the specifics of how Glowacki's game theoretical framework for the evolution of peace could be incorporated within broader cultural evolutionary approaches. We outline a formal proposal for prisoner's dilemma games investigating raid-based conflict. We also centre an ethnographic lens to understand the norms surrounding war and peace in intergroup interactions in small-scale communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M L Jeffries
- Durham Cultural Evolution Research Centre & Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/emily-m-jeffries/ https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sarah-wright2/ https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sheina-lew-levy/
| | - Sarah E Wright
- Durham Cultural Evolution Research Centre & Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/emily-m-jeffries/ https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sarah-wright2/ https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sheina-lew-levy/
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Durham Cultural Evolution Research Centre & Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/emily-m-jeffries/ https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sarah-wright2/ https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sheina-lew-levy/
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4
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Lavender Forsyth GA, Chaudhuri A, Atkinson QD. Validating the dual evolutionary foundations of political values in a US sample. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1189771. [PMID: 37425180 PMCID: PMC10326618 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1189771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychological research repeatedly identifies two dimensions of political values. Recent work argues that these dimensions reflect the dual evolutionary foundations of human social and political life: a trade-off between cooperation and competition that generates differences in values about social inequality, and a trade-off in managing group coordination that generates differences in values about social control. Existing scales used to measure political values, however, were created prior to this framework. Here, we introduce the Dual Foundations Scale, designed to capture values about the two trade-offs. We validate the scale across two studies, showing it accurately and reliably measures both dimensions. Our results support key predictions of the dual foundations framework and pave the way for future work on the foundations of political ideology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ananish Chaudhuri
- Department of Economics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Quentin Douglas Atkinson
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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5
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Claessens S, Sibley CG, Chaudhuri A, Atkinson QD. Cooperative and conformist behavioural preferences predict the dual dimensions of political ideology. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4886. [PMID: 36966181 PMCID: PMC10039865 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31721-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Decades of research suggest that our political differences are best captured by two dimensions of political ideology. The dual evolutionary framework of political ideology predicts that these dimensions should be related to variation in social preferences for cooperation and group conformity. Here, we combine data from a New Zealand survey and a suite of incentivised behavioural tasks (n = 991) to test whether cooperative and conformist preferences covary with a pair of widely used measures of the two dimensions of political ideology-Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA)-and related policy views. As predicted, we find that cooperative behaviour is negatively related to SDO and economically conservative policy views, while conformist behaviour in the form of social information use is positively related to RWA and socially conservative policy views. However, we did not find the predicted relationships between punitive and rule following behaviours and RWA or socially conservative views, raising questions about the interpretation of punishment and rule following tasks and the nature of authoritarian conformist preferences. These findings reveal how cooperative and conformist preferences that evolved to help us navigate social challenges in our ancestral past continue to track our political differences even today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Claessens
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Floor 2, Building 302, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Chris G Sibley
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Floor 2, Building 302, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Ananish Chaudhuri
- Department of Economics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- CESifo, Munich, Germany
| | - Quentin D Atkinson
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Floor 2, Building 302, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand.
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6
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Ross CT, Redhead D. Automatic entry and coding of social networks and dyadic peer ratings. METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS 2023. [DOI: 10.1177/20597991231160281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2023]
Abstract
In small-scale communities, social-scientists can use photo-rosters to collect social network and dyadic peer-ratings data. In past work, we introduced an R package to automate photo-standardization, survey construction, and data-entry. This R package, however, lacked two key features required for fully-unsupervised data-entry. First, respondent IDs needed to be manually linked to cellphone photographs of the photo-roster before DieTryin could process the data; second, users needed to identify the locations of the photo-roster in each cellphone photograph using a point-and-click interface. To address the first shortcoming, we introduce a new Android application, DieTryinCam, which facilitates annotation of cell-phone photographs with respondent, question, and panel IDs. To address the second shortcoming, we add new functionality to the DieTryin R package, which allows for the precise location of the photograph roster to be automatically identified. Automated data entry in DieTryin now requires no user input beyond a single function call from R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody T Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Redhead
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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7
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The long-term effects of climate shocks on social preferences. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.112010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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8
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Carpenter S, Kreitmair U. Wealth and risk heterogeneity effects in community‐based wildlife management: Experimental evidence. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Carpenter
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers Florida USA
| | - Ursula Kreitmair
- Department of Political Science University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska USA
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9
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House B, Silk JB, McAuliffe K. No strong evidence for universal gender differences in the development of cooperative behaviour across societies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210439. [PMID: 36440561 PMCID: PMC9703225 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cooperation varies both across and within societies, and developmental studies can inform our understanding of the sources of both kinds of variation. One key candidate for explaining within-society variation in cooperative behaviour is gender, but we know little about whether gender differences in cooperation take root early in ontogeny or emerge similarly across diverse societies. Here, we explore two existing cross-cultural datasets of 4- to 15-year-old children's preferences for equality in experimental tasks measuring prosociality (14 societies) and fairness (seven societies), and we look for evidence of (i) widespread gender differences in the development of cooperation, and (ii) substantial societal variation in gender differences. This cross-cultural approach is crucial for revealing universal human gender differences in the development of cooperation, and it helps answer recent calls for greater cultural diversity in the study of human development. We find that gender has little impact on the development of prosociality and fairness within these datasets, and we do not find much evidence for substantial societal variation in gender differences. We discuss the implications of these findings for our knowledge about the nature and origin of gender differences in cooperation, and for future research attempting to study human development using diverse cultural samples. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cooperation among women: evolutionary and cross-cultural perspectives'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey House
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Joan B. Silk
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Katherine McAuliffe
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
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10
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Martin JS, Jaeggi AV, Koski SE. The social evolution of individual differences: Future directions for a comparative science of personality in social behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:104980. [PMID: 36463970 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Personality is essential for understanding the evolution of cooperation and conflict in behavior. However, personality science remains disconnected from the field of social evolution, limiting our ability to explain how personality and plasticity shape phenotypic adaptation in social behavior. Researchers also lack an integrative framework for comparing personality in the contextualized and multifaceted behaviors central to social interactions among humans and other animals. Here we address these challenges by developing a social evolutionary approach to personality, synthesizing theory, methods, and organizing questions in the study of individuality and sociality in behavior. We critically review current measurement practices and introduce social reaction norm models for comparative research on the evolution of personality in social environments. These models demonstrate that social plasticity affects the heritable variance of personality, and that individual differences in social plasticity can further modify the rate and direction of adaptive social evolution. Future empirical studies of frequency- and density-dependent social selection on personality are crucial for further developing this framework and testing adaptive theory of social niche specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan S Martin
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Adrian V Jaeggi
- Human Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Sonja E Koski
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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11
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Rychlowska M, van der Schalk J, Manstead ASR. An epidemic context elicits more prosocial decision-making in an intergroup social dilemma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18974. [PMID: 36411291 PMCID: PMC9678879 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22187-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Societal challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic have the quality of a social dilemma, in that they compel people to choose between acting in their own interests or the interests of a larger collective. Empirical evidence shows that the choices people make in a social dilemma are influenced by how this decision is framed. In four studies, we examined how context of an epidemic influences resource allocation decisions in a nested social dilemma task, where participants share resources between themselves, their subgroup, and a larger collective. Participants consistently allocated more resources to the collective in the context of the Ebola epidemic than in the context of a neighborhood improvement project, and these choices were strongly associated with prescriptive social norms. Together, the findings provide an experimental demonstration that the context of a quickly spreading disease encourages people to act more prosocially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Rychlowska
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast, David Keir Bldg, 18-30 Malone Rd, Belfast, BT9 5BN UK
| | - Job van der Schalk
- grid.5600.30000 0001 0807 5670School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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12
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Nitschke JP, Forbes PA, Lamm C. Does stress make us more—or less—prosocial? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of acute stress on prosocial behaviours using economic games. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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13
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Patent V. Dysfunctional trusting and distrusting: Integrating trust and bias perspectives. JOURNAL OF TRUST RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/21515581.2022.2113887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Volker Patent
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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14
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Redhead D, Ragione AD, Ross CT. Friendship and partner choice in rural Colombia. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Cooperative phenotype predicts climate change belief and pro-environmental behaviour. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12730. [PMID: 35882900 PMCID: PMC9325867 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16937-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the psychological causes of variation in climate change belief and pro-environmental behaviour remains an urgent challenge for the social sciences. The “cooperative phenotype” is a stable psychological preference for cooperating in social dilemmas that involve a tension between individual and collective interest. Since climate change poses a social dilemma on a global scale, this issue may evoke similar psychological processes as smaller social dilemmas. Here, we investigate the relationships between the cooperative phenotype and climate change belief and behaviour with a representative sample of New Zealanders (N = 897). By linking behaviour in a suite of economic games to self-reported climate attitudes, we show robust positive associations between the cooperative phenotype and both climate change belief and pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, our structural equation models support a motivated reasoning account in which the relationship between the cooperative phenotype and pro-environmental behaviour is mediated by climate change belief. These findings suggest that common psychological mechanisms underlie cooperation in both micro-scale social dilemmas and larger-scale social dilemmas like climate change.
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16
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Spousal age-gaps, partner preferences, and consequences for well-being in four Colombian communities. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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17
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A Causal Framework for Cross-Cultural Generalizability. ADVANCES IN METHODS AND PRACTICES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/25152459221106366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral researchers increasingly recognize the need for more diverse samples that capture the breadth of human experience. Current attempts to establish generalizability across populations focus on threats to validity, constraints on generalization, and the accumulation of large, cross-cultural data sets. But for continued progress, we also require a framework that lets us determine which inferences can be drawn and how to make informative cross-cultural comparisons. We describe a generative causal-modeling framework and outline simple graphical criteria to derive analytic strategies and implied generalizations. Using both simulated and real data, we demonstrate how to project and compare estimates across populations and further show how to formally represent measurement equivalence or inequivalence across societies. We conclude with a discussion of how a formal framework for generalizability can assist researchers in designing more informative cross-cultural studies and thus provides a more solid foundation for cumulative and generalizable behavioral research.
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18
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Smith KM, Mabulla IA, Apicella CL. Hadza hunter-gatherers with greater exposure to other cultures share more with generous campmates. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220157. [PMID: 35857893 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are motivated to compete for access to valuable social partners, which is a function of their willingness to share and ability to generate resources. However, relative preferences for each trait should be responsive to socioecological conditions. Here, we test the flexibility of partner choice psychology among Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania. Ninety-two Hadza ranked their campmates on generosity and foraging ability and then shared resources with those campmates. We found Hadza with greater exposure to other cultures shared more with campmates ranked higher on generosity, whereas Hadza with lower exposure showed a smaller preference for sharing with generous campmates. This moderating effect was specific to generosity-regardless of exposure, Hadza showed only a small preference for sharing with better foragers. We argue this difference in preferences is due to high exposure Hadza having more experience cooperating with others in the absence of strong norms of sharing, and thus are exposed to greater variance in willingness to cooperate among potential partners increasing the benefits of choosing partners based on generosity. As such, participants place a greater emphasis on choosing more generous partners, highlighting the flexibility of partner preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher M Smith
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Ibrahim A Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and History, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Coren L Apicella
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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19
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Conte TJ. Steppe Generosity: Kinship, social reputations, and perceived need drive generous giving in a non-anonymous allocation game among Mongolian pastoral nomads. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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20
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Pisor AC, Ross CT. Distinguishing Intergroup and Long-Distance Relationships. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2022; 33:280-303. [PMID: 36181615 PMCID: PMC9741575 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-022-09431-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Intergroup and long-distance relationships are both central features of human social life, but because intergroup relationships are emphasized in the literature, long-distance relationships are often overlooked. Here, we make the case that intergroup and long-distance relationships should be studied as distinct, albeit related, features of human sociality. First, we review the functions of both kinds of relationship: while both can be conduits for difficult-to-access resources, intergroup relationships can reduce intergroup conflict whereas long-distance relationships are especially effective at buffering widespread resource shortfalls. Second, to illustrate the importance of distinguishing the two relationship types, we present a case study from rural Bolivia. Combining ethnography and two different experimental techniques, we find that the importance of intergroup relationships-and the salience of group membership itself-varies across populations and across methods. Although ethnography revealed that participants often rely on long-distance relationships for resource access, we were unable to capture participant preferences for these relationships with a forced-choice technique. Taken together, our review and empirical data highlight that (1) intergroup and long-distance relationships can have different functions and can be more or less important in different contexts and (2) validating experimental field data with ethnography is crucial for work on human sociality. We close by outlining future directions for research on long-distance relationships in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C. Pisor
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA ,grid.419518.00000 0001 2159 1813Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cody T. Ross
- grid.419518.00000 0001 2159 1813Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Leisterer-Peoples SM, Ross CT, Greenhill SJ, Hardecker S, Haun DBM. Games and enculturation: A cross-cultural analysis of cooperative goal structures in Austronesian games. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259746. [PMID: 34818365 PMCID: PMC8612520 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While most animals play, only humans play games. As animal play serves to teach offspring important life-skills in a safe scenario, human games might, in similar ways, teach important culturally relevant skills. Humans in all cultures play games; however, it is not clear whether variation in the characteristics of games across cultural groups is related to group-level attributes. Here we investigate specifically whether the cooperativeness of games covaries with socio-ecological differences across cultural groups. We hypothesize that cultural groups that engage in frequent inter-group conflict, cooperative sustenance acquisition, or that have less stratified social structures, might more frequently play cooperative games as compared to groups that do not share these characteristics. To test these hypotheses, we gathered data from the ethnographic record on 25 ethnolinguistic groups in the Austronesian language family. We show that cultural groups with higher levels of inter-group conflict and cooperative land-based hunting play cooperative games more frequently than other groups. Additionally, cultural groups with higher levels of intra-group conflict play competitive games more frequently than other groups. These findings indicate that games are not randomly distributed among cultures, but rather relate to the socio-ecological settings of the cultural groups that practice them. We argue that games serve as training grounds for group-specific norms and values and thereby have an important function in enculturation during childhood. Moreover, games might server an important role in the maintenance of cultural diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Leisterer-Peoples
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cody T. Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simon J. Greenhill
- Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
- ARC Center of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | | | - Daniel B. M. Haun
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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22
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Takács K, Gross J, Testori M, Letina S, Kenny AR, Power EA, Wittek RPM. Networks of reliable reputations and cooperation: a review. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200297. [PMID: 34601917 PMCID: PMC8487750 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Reputation has been shown to provide an informal solution to the problem of cooperation in human societies. After reviewing models that connect reputations and cooperation, we address how reputation results from information exchange embedded in a social network that changes endogenously itself. Theoretical studies highlight that network topologies have different effects on the extent of cooperation, since they can foster or hinder the flow of reputational information. Subsequently, we review models and empirical studies that intend to grasp the coevolution of reputations, cooperation and social networks. We identify open questions in the literature concerning how networks affect the accuracy of reputations, the honesty of shared information and the spread of reputational information. Certain network topologies may facilitate biased beliefs and intergroup competition or in-group identity formation that could lead to high cooperation within but conflicts between different subgroups of a network. Our review covers theoretical, experimental and field studies across various disciplines that target these questions and could explain how the dynamics of interactions and reputations help or prevent the establishment and sustainability of cooperation in small- and large-scale societies. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The language of cooperation: reputation and honest signalling’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Károly Takács
- The Institute for Analytical Sociology, Linköping University, 601 74 Norrköping, Sweden.,Computational Social Science-Research Center for Educational and Network Studies (CSS-RECENS), Centre for Social Sciences, Tóth Kálmán u. 4., 1097 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jörg Gross
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Testori
- Organization Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Srebrenka Letina
- The Institute for Analytical Sociology, Linköping University, 601 74 Norrköping, Sweden.,Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Berkeley Square, 99 Berkeley Street, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK
| | - Adam R Kenny
- Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford, 64 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PN, UK.,Calleva Research Centre for Evolution and Human Sciences, Magdalen College, High Street, Oxford OX1 4AU, UK
| | - Eleanor A Power
- Department of Methodology, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, UK
| | - Rafael P M Wittek
- Department of Sociology, University of Groningen, Grote Rozenstraat 31, 9712 TG Groningen, The Netherlands
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23
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Newson M, Khurana R, Cazorla F, van Mulukom V. 'I Get High With a Little Help From My Friends' - How Raves Can Invoke Identity Fusion and Lasting Co-operation via Transformative Experiences. Front Psychol 2021; 12:719596. [PMID: 34646208 PMCID: PMC8504457 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.719596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychoactive drugs have been central to many human group rituals throughout modern human evolution. Despite such experiences often being inherently social, bonding and associated prosocial behaviors have rarely been empirically tested as an outcome. Here we investigate a novel measure of the mechanisms that generate altered states of consciousness during group rituals, the 4Ds: dance, drums, sleep deprivation, and drugs. We conducted a retrospective online survey examining experiences at a highly ritualized cultural phenomenon where drug use is relatively uninhibited- raves and illegal free parties. Engaging in the 4Ds at raves or free parties was associated with personal transformation for those who experienced the event as awe-inspiring, especially for people with open personalities (n = 481). Without awe, or a ritual context, indulging in the 4Ds was associated with a lack of personal growth, or anomie. A complex SEM revealed that personal transformation following awe-inspiring raves was associated with bonding to other ravers and prosocial behavior toward this group at a cost to self in a simple economic game. Bonding to humanity was not associated with these events. The findings suggest that employing the 4Ds in a ritualized environment - particularly dancing and drug use - can help build meaningful social bonds with associated positive behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Newson
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ragini Khurana
- Department of Sociology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Freya Cazorla
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Valerie van Mulukom
- Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
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24
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DieTryin: An R package for data collection, automated data entry, and post-processing of network-structured economic games, social networks, and other roster-based dyadic data. Behav Res Methods 2021; 54:611-631. [PMID: 34341963 PMCID: PMC9046375 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01606-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Researchers studying social networks and inter-personal sentiments in bounded or small-scale communities face a trade-off between the use of roster-based and free-recall/name-generator-based survey tools. Roster-based methods scale poorly with sample size, and can more easily lead to respondent fatigue; however, they generally yield higher quality data that are less susceptible to recall bias and that require less post-processing. Name-generator-based methods, in contrast, scale well with sample size and are less likely to lead to respondent fatigue. However, they may be more sensitive to recall bias, and they entail a large amount of highly error-prone post-processing after data collection in order to link elicited names to unique identifiers. Here, we introduce an R package, DieTryin, that allows for roster-based dyadic data to be collected and entered as rapidly as name-generator-based data; DieTryin can be used to run network-structured economic games, as well as collect and process standard social network data and round-robin Likert-scale peer ratings. DieTryin automates photograph standardization, survey tool compilation, and data entry. We present a complete methodological workflow using DieTryin to teach end-users its full functionality.
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25
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Tusche A, Bas LM. Neurocomputational models of altruistic decision-making and social motives: Advances, pitfalls, and future directions. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2021; 12:e1571. [PMID: 34340256 PMCID: PMC9286344 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This article discusses insights from computational models and social neuroscience into motivations, precursors, and mechanisms of altruistic decision-making and other-regard. We introduce theoretical and methodological tools for researchers who wish to adopt a multilevel, computational approach to study behaviors that promote others' welfare. Using examples from recent studies, we outline multiple mental and neural processes relevant to altruism. To this end, we integrate evidence from neuroimaging, psychology, economics, and formalized mathematical models. We introduce basic mechanisms-pertinent to a broad range of value-based decisions-and social emotions and cognitions commonly recruited when our decisions involve other people. Regarding the latter, we discuss how decomposing distinct facets of social processes can advance altruistic models and the development of novel, targeted interventions. We propose that an accelerated synthesis of computational approaches and social neuroscience represents a critical step towards a more comprehensive understanding of altruistic decision-making. We discuss the utility of this approach to study lifespan differences in social preference in late adulthood, a crucial future direction in aging global populations. Finally, we review potential pitfalls and recommendations for researchers interested in applying a computational approach to their research. This article is categorized under: Economics > Interactive Decision-Making Psychology > Emotion and Motivation Neuroscience > Cognition Economics > Individual Decision-Making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Tusche
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada.,Department of Economics, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada.,Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Lisa M Bas
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, Canada
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26
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DeTroy SE, Ross CT, Cronin KA, van Leeuwen EJ, Haun DB. Cofeeding tolerance in chimpanzees depends on group composition: a longitudinal study across four communities. iScience 2021; 24:102175. [PMID: 33733060 PMCID: PMC7940988 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Social tolerance is generally treated as a stable, species-specific characteristic. Recent research, however, has questioned this position and emphasized the importance of intraspecific variation. We investigate the temporal stability of social tolerance in four groups of sanctuary-housed chimpanzees over eight years using a commonly employed measure: experimental cofeeding tolerance. We then draw on longitudinal data on the demographic composition of each group to identify the factors associated with cofeeding tolerance. We find appreciable levels of variation in cofeeding tolerance across both groups and years that correspond closely to changes in group-level demographic composition. For example, cofeeding tolerance is lower when there are many females with young infants. These results suggest that social tolerance may be a "responding trait" of chimpanzee sociality, reflecting individual-level behavioral responses to social changes. Additional, experimental research is needed to better model the causal drivers of social tolerance within and among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. DeTroy
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department for Early Child Development and Culture, Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Jahnallee 59, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cody T. Ross
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katherine A. Cronin
- Animal Welfare Science Program, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Edwin J.C. van Leeuwen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein 20-26, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Daniel B.M. Haun
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department for Early Child Development and Culture, Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Jahnallee 59, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
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27
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Jones JH, Pisor AC, Douglass KG, Bird RB, Ready E, Hazel A, Hackman J, Kramer KL, Kohler TA, Pontzer H, Towner MC. How can evolutionary and biological anthropologists engage broader audiences? Am J Hum Biol 2021; 33:e23592. [PMID: 33751710 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES With our diverse training, theoretical and empirical toolkits, and rich data, evolutionary and biological anthropologists (EBAs) have much to contribute to research and policy decisions about climate change and other pressing social issues. However, we remain largely absent from these critical, ongoing efforts. Here, we draw on the literature and our own experiences to make recommendations for how EBAs can engage broader audiences, including the communities with whom we collaborate, a more diverse population of students, researchers in other disciplines and the development sector, policymakers, and the general public. These recommendations include: (1) playing to our strength in longitudinal, place-based research, (2) collaborating more broadly, (3) engaging in greater public communication of science, (4) aligning our work with open-science practices to the extent possible, and (5) increasing diversity of our field and teams through intentional action, outreach, training, and mentorship. CONCLUSIONS We EBAs need to put ourselves out there: research and engagement are complementary, not opposed to each other. With the resources and workable examples we provide here, we hope to spur more EBAs to action.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Holland Jones
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Anne C Pisor
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.,Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kristina G Douglass
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebecca Bliege Bird
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elspeth Ready
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ashley Hazel
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Joseph Hackman
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Karen L Kramer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Timothy A Kohler
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.,Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.,Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez, Colorado, USA
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mary C Towner
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
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28
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Seabright P, Stieglitz J, Van der Straeten K. Evaluating social contract theory in the light of evolutionary social science. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2021; 3:e20. [PMID: 37588528 PMCID: PMC10427299 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2021.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Political philosophers have long drawn explicitly or implicitly on claims about the ways in which human behaviour is shaped by interactions within society. These claims have usually been based on introspection, anecdotes or casual empiricism, but recent empirical research has informed a number of early views about human nature. We focus here on five components of such views: (1) what motivates human beings; (2) what constraints our natural and social environments impose upon us; (3) what kind of society emerges as a result; (4) what constitutes a fulfilling life; and (5) what collective solutions can improve the outcome. We examine social contract theory as developed by some early influential political philosophers (Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau), who viewed the social contract as a device to compare the 'natural' state of humans with their behaviour in society. We examine their views in the light of recent cross-cultural empirical research in the evolutionary social sciences. We conclude that social contract theorists severely underestimated human behavioural complexity in societies lacking formal institutions. Had these theorists been more informed about the structure and function of social arrangements in small-scale societies, they might have significantly altered their views about the design and enforcement of social contracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Seabright
- Toulouse School of Economics, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
| | - Jonathan Stieglitz
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
| | - Karine Van der Straeten
- Toulouse School of Economics, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
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29
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Naar N. Gaming Anthropology: The Problem of External Validity and the Challenge of Interpreting Experimental Games. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Naar
- Washington Sea Grant 3716 Brooklyn Avenue N.E. Seattle WA 98105‐6716 USA
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30
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Ross CT, Jaeggi AV, Borgerhoff Mulder M, Smith JE, Smith EA, Gavrilets S, Hooper PL. The multinomial index: a robust measure of reproductive skew. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202025. [PMID: 33023419 PMCID: PMC7657858 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Inequality or skew in reproductive success (RS) is common across many animal species and is of long-standing interest to the study of social evolution. However, the measurement of inequality in RS in natural populations has been challenging because existing quantitative measures are highly sensitive to variation in group/sample size, mean RS, and age-structure. This makes comparisons across multiple groups and/or species vulnerable to statistical artefacts and hinders empirical and theoretical progress. Here, we present a new measure of reproductive skew, the multinomial index, M, that is unaffected by many of the structural biases affecting existing indices. M is analytically related to Nonacs’ binomial index, B, and comparably accounts for heterogeneity in age across individuals; in addition, M allows for the possibility of diminishing or even highly nonlinear RS returns to age. Unlike B, however, M is not biased by differences in sample/group size. To demonstrate the value of our index for cross-population comparisons, we conduct a reanalysis of male reproductive skew in 31 primate species. We show that a previously reported negative effect of group size on mating skew was an artefact of structural biases in existing skew measures, which inevitably decline with group size; this bias disappears when using M. Applying phylogenetically controlled, mixed-effects models to the same dataset, we identify key similarities and differences in the inferred within- and between-species predictors of reproductive skew across metrics. Finally, we provide an R package, SkewCalc, to estimate M from empirical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody T Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adrian V Jaeggi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Monique Borgerhoff Mulder
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Eric Alden Smith
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sergey Gavrilets
- Departments of Mathematics and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Center for the Dynamics of Social Complexity, and National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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31
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Broesch T, Crittenden AN, Beheim BA, Blackwell AD, Bunce JA, Colleran H, Hagel K, Kline M, McElreath R, Nelson RG, Pisor AC, Prall S, Pretelli I, Purzycki B, Quinn EA, Ross C, Scelza B, Starkweather K, Stieglitz J, Mulder MB. Navigating cross-cultural research: methodological and ethical considerations. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201245. [PMID: 32962541 PMCID: PMC7542829 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The intensifying pace of research based on cross-cultural studies in the social sciences necessitates a discussion of the unique challenges of multi-sited research. Given an increasing demand for social scientists to expand their data collection beyond WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic) populations, there is an urgent need for transdisciplinary conversations on the logistical, scientific and ethical considerations inherent to this type of scholarship. As a group of social scientists engaged in cross-cultural research in psychology and anthropology, we hope to guide prospective cross-cultural researchers through some of the complex scientific and ethical challenges involved in such work: (a) study site selection, (b) community involvement and (c) culturally appropriate research methods. We aim to shed light on some of the difficult ethical quandaries of this type of research. Our recommendation emphasizes a community-centred approach, in which the desires of the community regarding research approach and methodology, community involvement, results communication and distribution, and data sharing are held in the highest regard by the researchers. We argue that such considerations are central to scientific rigour and the foundation of the study of human behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Broesch
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada
| | | | - Bret A. Beheim
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aaron D. Blackwell
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - John A. Bunce
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heidi Colleran
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- BirthRites Independent Max Planck Research Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kristin Hagel
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michelle Kline
- Centre for Culture and Evolution, Brunel University, London, UK
| | - Richard McElreath
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Anne C. Pisor
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Sean Prall
- Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, MO, USA
| | - Ilaria Pretelli
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Benjamin Purzycki
- Department of the Study of Religion, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Cody Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brooke Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kathrine Starkweather
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA
| | | | - Monique Borgerhoff Mulder
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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