Abstract
AbstractThis paper reintroduces the Handicap Principle theory as an explanation of altruism. Handicap Principle is a general theory which has been increasingly applied in various disciplines and topics, though strangely it has been missing from both debates and empirical research on altruism in biology. We clarify the logic and principles of HP regarding altruistic behavior based on the costs and benefits to both the donor and the recipient of an altruistic act. We review supportive empirical studies of HP theory. We also compare Handicap Principle theory to Reciprocal Altruism theory and suggest how HP can explain paradigmatic examples of Reciprocal Altruism. Finally, the phenomenon of one-shot altruism is discussed in order to evaluate, and distinguish between, the different explanations of Handicap Principle and Reciprocal Altruism.
Highlights
The puzzle of altruistic behavior among human beings and other species has puzzled biologists since Darwin (1859)
Handicap Principle is a general theory which has been increasingly applied in various disciplines and topics, though strangely it has been missing from both debates and empirical research on altruism in biology
He is an interdisciplinary scholar who has published in leading journals such as Biology & Philosophy, Political Analysis, American Journal of Comparative Law, Psychology, Public Policy & Law, and more
Summary
Doron Shultziner1* and Arnon Dattner Abstract: This paper reintroduces the Handicap Principle theory as an explanation of altruism. Handicap Principle is a general theory which has been increasingly applied in various disciplines and topics, though strangely it has been missing from both debates and empirical research on altruism in biology. We clarify the logic and principles of HP regarding altruistic behavior based on the costs and benefits to both the donor and the recipient of an altruistic act. We compare Handicap Principle theory to Reciprocal Altruism theory and suggest how HP can explain paradigmatic examples of Reciprocal Altruism. The phenomenon of one-shot altruism is discussed in order to evaluate, and distinguish between, the different explanations of Handicap Principle and Reciprocal Altruism. Subjects: Evolutionary Psychology; Natural History - Evolution and General Biology; Zoology
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