Coordinated Punishment Leads to Increased Cooperation in Large Groups

Coordinated Punishment Leads to Increased Cooperation in Large Groups

Humans are incredibly cooperative, but why do people cooperate and how is cooperation maintained? A new research study by UCLA anthropology professor Robert Boyd and his colleagues from the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico suggests cooperation in large groups is maintained by punishment.

The finding challenges previous cooperation/punishment models that argue punishment is uncoordinated and unconditional.

Boyd and his team report their research in the April 30 issue of the journal Science. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Santa Fe Institute's Behavioral Sciences Program, the European Science Foundation and the University of Siena.

Further from the link in the OP:

But in a larger group, like a tribe, those mechanisms for maintaining cooperation are lost. All group members experience the benefits of the large group, even those members who stop cooperating and become "free-riders." Free-riders are people who benefit from the group in food sharing and protection from enemies, for example, without contributing to food collection or war. In these cases, the personal connection to the group's members is often gone.

But it turns out that most members of large groups cooperate. Why? Boyd and his colleagues suggest cooperation is maintained by punishment, which reduces the benefits to free riding. There are tribes, for example, that punish free-riders who do not participate in warfare by not allowing them to take a bride. Thus, there is the threat of losing societal benefits if a member does not cooperate, which leads to increased group cooperation.

This is quite an interesting study. Punishment will increase cooperation. This article should make for some interesting discussion. Martial Law tactics come to mind, among many other forms of punishment that is prevalent in today's society.

I think they misuse the word cooperation.

It is more like submission to the will of the group.

Or submission to authority.

That is a better word. "Submission".

Cooperation is more like a choice. Where submission is more like being forced into it by "punishment".

reply to post by muzzleflash


Well, I have noticed on some threads here at ATS and on other sites, when people call for jurors to start looking at the statutes where there is no victim, you have people say things like, well I have to follow the law.

Maybe instead of cooperation, it is the will of the people to keep everyone at the same level of slavery.

I think this component is a large part of it.

The cooperative level of misery needs to be maintained.

No one is allowed to step out of the manure pile, except for the exalted leaders. They of course are given all aspect of congeniality or outright different rules they must follow.

reply to post by muzzleflash

Cooperation is more like a choice.

Cunningly, TPTB, most often make it appear as a choice...a.k.a. Freedom

Nothing will ever happen

reply to post by UberL33t


I was thinking your OT reminded me of something and I could not remember what. Then I remembered a member posted this-

"The Traditional Monkey"


It all started with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, a banana was hung on a string and a set of stairs was placed under it. Before long, a monkey went to the stairs and started to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touched the stairs, all of the other monkeys were sprayed with cold water. After a while, another monkey made an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys were sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, anytime another monkey tried to climb the stairs, the other monkeys tried to prevent it.

After a couple of days, the cold water was removed. One monkey was removed from the cage and replaced with a new one. The new monkey saw the banana and wanted to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attacked him. After another attempt and attack, he knew that if he tried to climb the stairs, he would be assaulted.

Next, another of the original five monkeys was removed and replaced it with a new one. The newcomer went to the stairs and was attacked. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, a third original monkey was replaced with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey took to the stairs, he was attacked. Most of the monkeys that were beating him had no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they were participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys had ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approached the stairs to try for the banana.
Why not?



Freedom is JUST another banana!

reply to post by endisnighe


Very interesting study... Monkey Sheeple see Monkey Sheeple do!