Abstract
An important problem in theoretical biology is to explain how altruism can have positive selection value. We model socialization as a costly public good that raises altruism and we study evolution equations for altruistic preferences. Stable cultural (social) equilibria exist in which socialization is supplied privately and property rights exist without civil government. In equilibrium, agents are altruistic in ways not explained by traditional biological theories. The theory essentially formalizes the story in Adam Smith'sTheory of Moral Sentiments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander RD (1974) The Evolution of Social Behavior. Annual Review of Ecology and Systemics 5:325–383
Arrow KJ (1974) Gifts and Exchanges. Philosophy and Public Affairs 1:343–362
Axelrod R (1984) The Evolution of Cooperation. New York: Basic Books
Bernheim BD (1986) On the Voluntary and Involuntary Provision of Public Goods. American Economic Review 76:789–793
Becker G (1976) Altruism, Egoism, and Genetic Fitness: Economics and Sociobiology. Journal of Economic Literature: 817–826
Bergstrom T, Blume L, Varian H (1986) On the Private Provision of Public Goods. Journal of Public Economics 29:25–49
Feldman MW, Cavalli-Sforza LL (1976) Cultural and Biological Evolutionary Processes, Selection for a Trait Under Complex Transmission. Journal of Theoretical Biology 9:238–259
Frank RH (1987) If Homo Economicus Could Choose His Own Utility Function, Would He Want One with a Conscience? American Economic Review 77:593–604
Hamilton WD (1963) The Evolution of Altruistic Behavior. American Naturalist 97:354–356
Hamilton WD (1964) The Genetical Evolution of Social Behavior. Journal of Theoretical Biology 7:1–32
Harley CB (1981) Learning the Evolutionarily Stable Strategy. Journal of Theoretical Biology 89:611–633
Hobbes T (1962) Leviathan. New York: Collier Books
Ireland TR, Johnson D (1970) The Economics of Charity. Blacksburg: Center for the Study of Public Choice.
Kurz, M (1977) Altruistic Equilibrium. In: Belassa B, Nelson R (eds) Economic Progress, Private Values, and Public Policy. Amsterdam: North Holland
Landes WM, Posner RA (1978) Salvors, Finders, Good Samaritans, and Other Rescuers: An Economic Study of Law and Altruism. Journal of Legal Studies 7:83–128
Long S (1976) Social Pressure and Contribution to Health Charities. Public Choice 31:55–66
Lumsden CJ, Wilson EO (1981) Genes, Mind, and Culture. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press
Margolis H (1982) Selfishness, Altruism and Rationality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Maynard Smith J (1982) Evolution and the Theory of Games. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press
McGuire M (1974) Group Size, Group Homogeneity and the Aggregate Provision of a Pure Public Good under Cournot Behavior. Public Choice 18:107–126
OECD (1985) OECD Economic Studies. Paris
Parker GA (1978) Selfish Genes, Evolutionary Genes, and the Adaptiveness of Behaviour. Nature 274:849–855
Rose-Ackerman (1982) Charitable Giving and Excessive Fundraising. Quarterly Journal of Economics 97:195–212
Roberts RD (1984) A Positive Model of Private Charity and Public Transfers. Journal of Political Economy 92:136–148
Rosenberg N (1990) Adam Smith and the Stock of Moral Capital. History of Political Economy 22:1–17
Ruse M, Wilson EO (1986) Moral Philosophy as Applied Science. Philosophy 61:173–192
Smith A (1970) The Wealth of Nations. Bungay, Suffolk: Penguin
Smith A (1976) The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Indianapolis: Liberty Press
Steinberg R (1987) Voluntary Donations and Public Expenditures in a Federalist System. American Economic Review 77:24–36
Sugden R (1984) Reciprocity: The Supply of Public Goods through Voluntary Contributions. Economic Journal 94:772–787
Sugden R (1986) The Economics of Rights, Cooperation, and Welfare. Oxford: Basil Blackwell
Trivers RL (1971) The Evolution of Reciprocal Altruism. Quarterly Review of Biology 46:35–57
Trivers RL (1972) Parental Investment and Sexual Selection. In: Campbell B (ed) Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man, Chicago: Aldine
Wade MJ, Breden F (1980) The Evolution of Cheating and Selfish Behavior. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 7:167–172
Warr PG (1982) Pareto Optimal Redistribution and Private Charity. Journal of Public Economics 19:131–138
Weisbrod B (1975) Toward a Theory of the Voluntary Non-Profit Sector in a Three Sector Economy. In: Phelps E (ed) Altruism, Morality, and Economic Theory. New York: Russel Sage
Wilson EO (1980) Sociobiology. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Univ. Press
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hansson, I., Stuart, C. Socialization and altruism. J Evol Econ 2, 301–312 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01200128
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01200128