Reciprocal Altruism Research Articles

Social Support and Network Formation in a Small-Scale Horticulturalist Population

Evolutionary studies of cooperation in traditional human societies suggest that helping family and responding in kind when helped are the primary mechanisms for informally distributing resources vital to day-to-day survival (e.g., food, knowledge, money, childcare). However, these studies generally rely on forms of regression analysis that disregard complex interdependences between aid, resulting in the implicit assumption that kinship and reciprocity drive the emergence of entire networks of supportive social bonds. Here I evaluate this assumption using individual-oriented simulations of network formation (i.e., Stochastic Actor-Oriented Models). Specifically, I test standard predictions of cooperation derived from the evolutionary theories of kin selection and reciprocal altruism alongside well-established sociological predictions around the self-organisation of asymmetric relationships. Simulations are calibrated to exceptional public data on genetic relatedness and the provision of tangible aid amongst all 108 adult residents of a village of indigenous horticulturalists in Nicaragua (11,556 ordered dyads). Results indicate that relatedness and reciprocity are markedly less important to whom one helps compared to the supra-dyadic arrangement of the tangible aid network itself.

Development of the Cooperative Adoption Factors Instrument to measure factors associated with instructional practice in the context of institutional change

BackgroundMany institutional and departmentally focused change efforts have sought to improve teaching in STEM through the promotion of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs). Even with these efforts, EBIPs have not become the predominant mode of teaching in many STEM departments. To better understand institutional change efforts and the barriers to EBIP implementation, we developed the Cooperative Adoption Factors Instrument (CAFI) to probe faculty member characteristics beyond demographic attributes at the individual level. The CAFI probes multiple constructs related to institutional change including perceptions of the degree of mutual advantage of taking an action (strategic complements), trust and interconnectedness among colleagues (interdependence), and institutional attitudes toward teaching (climate).ResultsFrom data collected across five STEM fields at three large public research universities, we show that the CAFI has evidence of internal structure validity based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The scales have low correlations with each other and show significant variation among our sampled universities as demonstrated by ANOVA. We further demonstrate a relationship between the strategic complements and climate factors with EBIP adoption through use of a regression analysis. In addition to these factors, we also find that indegree, a measure of opinion leadership, correlates with EBIP adoption.ConclusionsThe CAFI uses the CACAO model of change to link the intended outcome of EBIP adoption with perception of EBIPs as mutually reinforcing (strategic complements), perception of faculty having their fates intertwined (interdependence), and perception of institutional readiness for change (climate). Our work has established that the CAFI is sensitive enough to pick up on differences between three relatively similar institutions and captures significant relationships with EBIP adoption. Our results suggest that the CAFI is likely to be a suitable tool to probe institutional change efforts, both for change agents who wish to characterize the local conditions on their respective campuses to support effective planning for a change initiative and for researchers who seek to follow the progression of a change initiative. While these initial findings are very promising, we also recommend that CAFI be administered in different types of institutions to examine the degree to which the observed relationships hold true across contexts.

Azure-winged Magpies would rather avoid losses than strive for benefits based on reciprocal altruism.

It is no doubt that the reciprocal altruism of humans is unparalleled in the animal world. However, how strong altruistic behavior in the non-human animal is still very controversial. Almost all previous researches allowed only one individual in the dyad for action or dyad to accomplish tasks and obtain rewards simultaneously. Here, we designed current study based on the prisoner's dilemma to investigate reciprocal altruism under interactions of Azure-winged Magpies (Cyanopica cyanus), which is direct reciprocity of allowing subjects obtain rewards, respectively. The results suggest that Azure-winged Magpies failed to show continuously altruistic behavior due to the empiricism that stemmed from interactions, that is, avoiding losses. Meanwhile, the resource exchange game paradigm, which is designed in our study, is worthwhile to study the evolution of cooperation in more species in the future.

The Rise of Reciprocal Altruism–a Theory Based on the Centipede Game with Trivers-Payoffs

The Rise of Reciprocal Altruism–a Theory Based on the Centipede Game with Trivers-Payoffs

Multi-Level Group Selection and its Connection to Empathetic, Community-Driven Pedagogy: A Research Study Framework Proposal

Background Multi-level group selection theory is a presently rejuvenated framework for explaining the empathic tendencies of group culture and behavior as means of beneficial natural selection utility. Purpose The purpose here is to simply articulate the ways in which the anthropological theory of multi-level group selection overlaps with the latest psychological research on child conceptualization of equity and empathy so that a focused line of thought can be followed in subsequent research on how childhood psychology interacts with classroom environs moving forward. Conclusion The impact these studies stand to have on the broader culture of education would be largely equitable, ensuring that all students from all demographics would be encouraged by like-minded teachers to further propagate their applied learning for mutual advantage and benefit while also exciting each other about what they learn by finding shared relevant experiences and desires to make relevant connections to.

Sharing with the vulnerable? The Vulnerability Objection and Vanderschraaf’s theory of justice as mutual advantage

The most recent major contribution to the literature on justice as mutual advantage is Peter Vanderschraaf’s book Strategic Justice. In this book, he develops a theory of justice as convention, where justice is those principles that rational, self-interested agents would choose to solve problems of partially conflicting interest. His theory is thus a kind of theory of justice as mutual advantage. A common criticism of theories of justice as mutual advantage is the Vulnerability Objection: if the principles of justice require that resources are only shared with those that are net-contributors to a cooperative surplus, then those that are not net-contributors to that cooperative surplus (so-called vulnerable people) have no claim of justice to any share of the resources. But, the objection states, surely justice cannot exclude people simply because they are vulnerable. Vanderschraaf argues that his theory of justice as convention successfully answers the Vulnerability Objection. However, in this paper, I argue that although Vanderschraaf’s theory successfully demonstrates that it can be to the mutual advantage of rational, self-interested people to agree to share equally even when some people contribute more than others, the problem remains of why such people would share with those that can never contribute more to the cooperative surplus than what they would withdraw from it. Vanderschraaf’s solution is to weaken the requirement that people actually contribute. But that, I argue, undermines the claim that his theory is a theory of justice as mutual advantage.

The silver bullet: justice as mutual advantage and the vulnerability objection

The silver bullet: justice as mutual advantage and the vulnerability objection

Making an American Opera Career: Conductor May Valentine (1890–1974) and a Woman's Role(s) in the Business of Opera

Making an American Opera Career: Conductor May Valentine (1890–1974) and a Woman's Role(s) in the Business of Opera

Technology Innovation and Digital Ecosystems: Case Study Analysis and Proposal of a Lifecycle Model

Digital ecosystems are a logical variant of the business ecosystem, defined as a group of businesses which cooperate for mutual advantage. While there has been much business strategy research concerning the economic innovations created by a functioning digital ecosystem, research which specifically analyzes the technology innovations both preceding and during the life of the digital ecosystem is lacking. Likewise, the lifecycle process which involves the creation, sustainability, and gradual dissolution of the ecosystem is treated as a nebulous activity with scarce mention in existing literature. Notably, no formal model of a digital ecosystem lifecycle has been proposed. A clear delineation of a digital ecosystem lifecycle would provide a framework for examination of the sources and types of innovations which lead to the formation of a digital ecosystem and thus provide the basis for further research in this area which would inform the process of developing and sustaining digital ecosystems. In order to discern the lifecycle of a digital ecosystem, this paper uses a case study approach to examine the history of several prominent digital ecosystems in the time period between 1981 and 2012: the IBM PC, the French Minitel, and the Apple and Android smartphones. The synthesis and analysis of the historical data contained in the case studies is then organized into a proposed digital ecosystem lifecycle model, a framework for further research. Additionally, observational analysis of the case studies provides insights concerning the sources of the technologies used to create the digital ecosystems and ability of those technologies to sustain the ecosystem.

Performance Contract — Focus on Losses Controle, in Social Vulnerability Areas: Cangaíba Case Study

Among the modalities of contracts in the sanitation sector, there is a contracting modality implemented in mid-2010 and which is on the rise, where the due payments to the hired company, is based and dependent of the results reached in the project. There are several variations on this model of contract, since the that one where the receivables are completely dependent of the results until that one where there is a fixed price for the assets and basic services, and there is a plus compensation for the overcome results. This modality has been diffused specially because of the achieve remarkable results for both sides, contractor and contracted. The possibility of increasing gains with mutual advantages, as well as to enable greater technological advancement, are the great attractive and the driving force of this type of contracting: The model used to allow the contracted company to apply technical solutions, although not provided in the scope, if it promises improvement on the results of the project.

Interpreting Integrity: A Qualitative Approach

There have been calls by the academic community for more efforts to conceptualize integrity using empirical works in a range of contexts, and using different methodological and theoretical approaches. Conceptualizing integrity using empirical works can be especially important since the way integrity is conceptualized can improve or hinder the way corruption is understood and may even strengthen or weaken explanations on why anti-corruption efforts tend to be unsuccessful. This study attempts to answer this call by using a case study approach to gather qualitative data on the perspectives of politicians in the Caribbean region. In-depth interviews with eight politicians in Trinidad and Tobago were conducted. The study builds on the conceptual framework of moral emotions and reciprocal altruism as posited by Haidt and aims to produce a conceptualization of integrity that reflects the meanings and ideas of the term as expressed by the research participants. The study will also attempt to explore integrity from both an individual level approach and an organizational level approach by incorporating ideas from sociological theorizing. The study ends by discussing the implications of the findings in terms of how integrity and corruption are understood.

India and European Union Trade (2016-2021)

The paper examines the potential for trade shift between India and Europe and the possibility for each economy to develop the following liberalization. India is Europe's biggest cooperation partner, and it serves as the foundation for a variety of collaborations. This article examines the evolution of trade flows between the economies of the two nations in a world where they are fully competitive. This research looks at cross-border European and Indian industries to see how easy it is to conduct business in another nation. The flow of commerce between India and Europe following liberalization is discussed in this research. As can be seen, both India and Europe offer a plethora of possibilities for each other that are still to be explored. There is a lot of mutual advantage in expanding on their relationship. This assessment was undertaken to determine the tone of these discussions. It aims to create the groundwork for a long-term relationship between these two dynamic or promising economies by highlighting the desirability of both nations for investment and business via various channels. This also demonstrates support for the growth of bilateral ties between India and Europe in various areas and the establishment of a laissez-faire economy following the new global economic order.

The evolution of altruism and the units of selection problem

In this paper, I will address one of the main issues in the philosophy of biology: the evolution of altruism and cooperation and the related problem of the units of selection. Starting from the so-called paradox of altruism, I will critically examine standard evolutionary models for the resolution of that paradox, and the explanation of altruism. I review and assess the following models of selection: the traditional model of group selection, gene?s eye view, kin selection, direct reciprocity (reciprocal altruism), indirect reciprocity, and the updated version of group selection, namely Sober and Wilson?s model of multilevel selection. In the final section, I will try to explain why is the dismissal of multilevel selection based on its explanatory complexity so common, and why inclusive fitness theory and direct reciprocity are generally sufficient to explain a good part of biological phenomena related to altruism and cooperation.

Carbon Trading Price Forecast Based on LSTM and ARIMA—Take the Shanghai Area for Example

In order to solve environmental problems such as air pollution, China has tried to carry out carbon emission trading market. For the sake of improving the risk management ability of the carbon emission trading market and make reasonable policies, it is very important to analyze and forecast the price of the carbon emission trading market. Considering that a single model has many self-limitations, in order to ensure that the predicted results can better match the actual situation, this paper adopts the combination model of ARIMA and LSTM to study the carbon emission trading price. Based on the reasonable prediction of carbon emission trading price of Shanghai Stock Exchange in recent years, the results show that ARIMA and LSTM can well combine their mutual advantages, effectively improve the accuracy of prediction, and provide certain guarantee for the sound development of carbon emission trading market.

Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products Supply Chain Under Social Preference and CSR by Big Data Analysis

Purpose- The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social preference on quality improvement of the agricultural products supply chain composed of agricultural products producer and processor (A3P) and supermarket by theoretical analysis and empirical evidence. Methodology- This paper sets Stackelberg game model under A3P’s CSR by considering supermarket’s altruistic reciprocity and A3P’s fairness conern, respectively. By comparative analysis, we study the effect of CSR, altruistic reciprocity and fairness conern on the quality improvement of the agricultural products supply chain. Then, we adopt the empirical evidence to analyze the correlation between CSR, altruistic reciprocity (fairness concern) and quality improvement and the mediating effect of altruistic reciprocity (fairness concern) by investigating the agricultural enterprises.

PEFT-based Trade-off Schedule Plan for Execution IoT Applications in Cloud Environment

Internet of Things (IoT) consists of physical things or objects that are connected through a network of sensors, software, and electronics. Mainly, IoT devices are of restricted processing and storage capacities. On the other hand, infinite storage and processing capacities are available over the cloud. Thus by merging these two methods, the mutual advantages have been discussed in the past years. Due to heterogeneous resource requirements of IoT application’s task, it is not so easy to schedule these over the cloud. Existing heuristic-based scheduling strategies had mainly developed considering either minimization of makespan or minimization of cost. But, for the present scenario, an efficient schedule plan is required to schedule IoT applications over cloud that minimizes the execution time along with execution cost while preserving the task dependencies constraints as well as user-defined constraints like budget and deadline. In this paper, Cost–time computational intelligent heuristics based upon PEFT i.e. CTPEFT has been proposed to give a trade-off schedule plan between computational cost and time beneath the user-specified deadline and budget constraints. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed heuristic, extensive simulation experiments have been conducted while considering different synthetic IoT application tasks. CTPEFT has been compared with our previously proposed algorithm, i.e. BDHEFT as well as with other competing algorithms like BHEFT, and HCPPEFT. Simulation results shows that CTPEFT heuristic can generate better cost-makespan trade-off plan as compared to BDHEFT, BHEFT, and HCPPEFT.

Red blood cells: The metamorphosis of a neglected carrier into the natural mothership for artificial nanocarriers.

Drug delivery research pursues many types of carriers including proteins and other macromolecules, natural and synthetic polymeric structures, nanocarriers of diverse compositions and cells. In particular, liposomes and lipid nanoparticles represent arguably the most advanced and popular human-made nanocarriers, already in multiple clinical applications. On the other hand, red blood cells (RBCs) represent attractive natural carriers for the vascular route, featuring at least two distinct compartments for loading pharmacological cargoes, namely inner space enclosed by the plasma membrane and the outer surface of this membrane. Historically, studies of liposomal drug delivery systems (DDS) astronomically outnumbered and surpassed the RBC-based DDS. Nevertheless, these two types of carriers have different profile of advantages and disadvantages. Recent studies showed that RBC-based drug carriers indeed may feature unique pharmacokinetic and biodistribution characteristics favorably changing benefit/risk ratio of some cargo agents. Furthermore, RBC carriage cardinally alters behavior and effect of nanocarriers in the bloodstream, so called RBC hitchhiking (RBC-HH). This article represents an attempt for the comparative analysis of liposomal vs RBC drug delivery, culminating with design of hybrid DDSs enabling mutual collaborative advantages such as RBC-HH and camouflaging nanoparticles by RBC membrane. Finally, we discuss the key current challenges faced by these and other RBC-based DDSs including the issue of potential unintended and adverse effect and contingency measures to ameliorate this and other concerns.

Community participation towards conservation of Touran National Park (TNP): an application of reciprocal altruism theory

ABSTRACT Past research linking tourism and reciprocal altruism (RA), although meagre, has typically focused on relationships between hosts and guests. To broaden the application of RA in tourism, the current study focuses specifically on a local community and their participation in conserving national park assets. Face-to-face interviews with 39 local stakeholders were conducted in Iran to investigate how locals' altruistic behaviours contribute to the conservation of Touran National Park. The results demonstrate that while altruism motives such as satisfying a moral obligation to support the environment, protecting wildlife, and doing something positive for the community were cited as the main reason for conservation cooperation for NGOs and environmentalists, self-interest was the main reason for conservation cooperation motives amongst tourism business operators in conserving the park. This study also showed that locals' altruistic behaviour is an important and influential factor in protecting valuable natural resources.

4G/5G coexistent dynamic spectrum sharing scheme based on dual bargaining game approach

In this paper, we propose a novel dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) scheme while satisfying diversified service requirements in the 4G/5G coexisting network platform. To design our scheme, we adopt the basic idea of the cooperative game theory and different allocation rules. In a cooperative game manner, our proposed scheme is formulated as a two-level dual bargaining model. This hierarchical approach can effectively share the limited wireless spectrum resource to significantly reduce the computational complexity and control overheads. To give mutual advantages for network agents, we leverage the full synergy of 4G/5G coexisting infrastructure while maximize the system efficiency. Finally, simulation results show the advantages of the proposed approach by comparing with the existing state-of-the-art spectrum sharing protocols. Specifically, the throughput, payoff and service provision are improved by about 5%, 10% and 10%, respectively, under dynamically changing network system environments. It is worth noting that our dual bargaining based strategic control mechanism facilitates the coordination and cooperation among network entities to effectively allocate the limited spectrum resource. This property can improve the performance measures in the 4G/5G coexisting platform.

Quality Improvement Incentive Strategy in Agricultural Products Supply Chain Under Social Preference

This paper sets Stackelberg model of bilateral quality efforts decision dominated by supermarket in the agricultural products supply chain by considering fairness concern and altruistic reciprocity. We use backward induction method to compute and prove that A3P’ fairness concern can play the role of profit distribution mechanism in agricultural products supply chain, and has no effect on the bilateral quality efforts decision, total profit of supply chain and objective efficiency, but can improve both the subjective and objective fairness degree. Meanwhile, supermarket’s altruistic reciprocity can improve the total quality efforts and total profit of supply chain, optimize the objective efficiency and subjective fairness of supply chain.