First published 2009
Psychologist Michael Tomasello examines the roots of human cooperation through careful observation of young children and great apes. He argues that cooperation stems from both biological instincts and cultural learning. Tomasello's experiments reveal that two-year-olds naturally help others without expecting rewards, while apes can cooperate but often choose not to. As children mature, their instinctive helpfulness becomes molded by cultural forces and group membership. These social influences can either strengthen or weaken cooperative tendencies. Tomasello traces how this blend of innate and learned behaviors enabled early humans to develop complex collaboration and unique cultural structures. The book explores how tolerance, trust, cultural norms, and institutions emerged from these psychological foundations. Responses from scholars Carol Dweck, Joan Silk, Brian Skyrms, and Elizabeth Spelke examine the broader implications of these findings for understanding human nature and society.
Genres: science, psychology, anthropology, non-fiction, biology, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-study, scientific-research
229 pages · Kindle Edition · The MIT Press