Strategies for Sharing Limited Resources among Children and Adolescents in Three Traditional Societies of East Africa: S
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RAL BIOLOGY
Strategies for Sharing Limited Resources among Children and Adolescents in Three Traditional Societies of East Africa: Sociocultural and Genetic Factors M. L. Butovskayaa,*, D. V. Karelinb, D. A. Dronovaa, V. O. Filatovaa, P. R. Butovskayac, and Academician V. A. Tishkova Received April 13, 2020; revised April 19, 2020; accepted April 22, 2020
Abstract—Egalitarianism, pursuit for equality, and altruism are the most important evolutionarily stable strategies in the human society. This study presents data on the results of economic games for sharing with a potential friend or unfamiliar peer in three ethnic groups of East Africa (Hadza, Iraqw, and Meru). The total sample was 583 children and adolescents; mean age, 13.5 ± 3.1 years. In addition, DNA analysis was carried out and the OXTR gene rs53576 single nucleotide polymorphism was genotyped for 162 Meru individuals. The pronounced individual variability in making decisions on sharing with a potential partner was established. Children and adolescents behaved altruistically towards friends significantly more frequently as compared with strangers. Carriers of the OXTR rs53576 GG variant displayed altruism significantly more frequently both to friends (U = 3376.500, p = 0.047; OR = 3.075, p = 0.032) and to strangers (U = 3478.000, p = 0.025; OR = 3.133, p = 0.007). Significant intergroup differences in egalitarianism, egoism, and altruism were also demonstrated. Data obtained suggest a positive group selection towards altruists. Keywords: evolutionary stable strategies, altruism, egalitarianism, egoism, Hadza, Meru, Iraqw, OXTR gene rs53576 SNP DOI: 10.1134/S001249662004002X
Egalitarianism, pursuit for equality, and altruism are the most important evolutionary stable strategies in the human society [1, 17]. According to the level of their development, Homo sapiens is significantly superior to all other animal species, including modern chimpanzee and bonobo [13]. Anthropologists pay special attention to unprecedented development of altruism, appearing primarily in sharing food and other limited resources in all human societies [1, 8, 9]. Economic experiments, the principle of which was borrowed from the game theory, are the leading method for quantitative estimation of the propensity for pro-social behavior in humans. It has been demonstrated that societies with different cultural and economic type vary in the level of cooperation and resource sharing practices. Differences also concern the severity of punishment for deceivers (individuals who do not want to share their resources with others a Miklouho-Maclay
Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia b Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119017 Russia c Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia *e-mail: [email protected]
and at the same time want to receive benefits from others unilaterally). The willingness to share resources also varies at the individual level, serves as one of t
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