10 January 2002

Behavioural science: Punishing schedule

Humans are unique in that they sometimes cooperate with non-relatives, even those they are unlikely to meet again, when reputation gains are small or absent. This phenomenon has puzzled biologists, psychologists, anthropologists and economists for decades. An experiment reported this week goes some way to providing an explanation. The results of a 'cooperation and punishment' game involving 240 players suggest that altruistic punishment is the driving force for this behaviour. Most human subjects willingly incur costs to themselves in order to punish other subjects who have shirked contributing to the public good.

Altruistic punishment in humans
ERNST FEHR & SIMON G�CHTER
Nature 415, 137–140 (10 January 2002)
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Behavioural science: Homo reciprocans
SAMUEL BOWLES & HERBERT GINTIS
Humans are often generous, but cooperation unravels when others take advantage of them. Many people punish such 'free riders', even if they do not benefit personally, and this 'altruistic punishment' sustains cooperation.
Nature 415, 125–128 (10 January 2002)
| Full Text | PDF (136 K) |