Social Sciences
4 years ago

Altruism may hinder cooperation, leading to lower public good contributions.

RePEc: Research Papers in Economics
Is Altruism Bad for Cooperation
Sung Ha Hwang, Samuel Bowles

Paper Summary

Altruism can actually be bad for cooperation in groups. When people are too focused on being nice to others, they might not punish those who don't contribute to the group. This can lead to lower levels of cooperation and less benefits for everyone. In some cases, being too nice can actually make things worse.

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