The signal value of giving in selecting cooperative partners

Abstract

Cooperation is a fundamental aspect of human society. We rely on each other for resources, protection, and reproduction. As such, it is critical to ensure we select the correct cooperative partners. Biological market theory uses the analogy of a marketplace to describe social interaction. This theory provides a framework that explains the evolution of cooperation. It posits ability and willingness to confer benefits as cues that influence the decision of choosing a cooperative partner. Giving has a strong role in building and maintaining cooperative relationships. This paper hypothesises that there is signal value of giving when it comes to selecting cooperative partners. To answer this, emotions towards the giver were measured and participants were asked how likely were they to choose the giver as their cooperative partner. The study predicts both measures to be significant when the giver engages in behaviours that the participants deemed to be cues to a good cooperative partner. Social skills are believed to be increasingly popular to trade within the biological market. This paper uses positive social behaviours to measure social skills. Different scenarios of giving that showcase ability and willingness to confer benefits and social skills are used in this study. Findings in this study support the theory of biological market and showed similar results to existing literatures about giving and social skills. This paper also reports findings which showed that there may be preference for social skills as compared to giving. Other theories such as indirect reciprocity is discussed in this paper.