Altruistic Punishment Seen As Explanation For Mass Political Behaviors

A new UC Davis study about the origin of cooperation may shed light on why nations punish other countries for human rights violations or why people sanction those who do not vote. Political scientist James Fowler has created a mathematical model of human behavior that suggests that "moralists" who voluntarily pay a cost to punish "misbehavers" can come to dominate a population and ensure cooperation among its members. "This may help explain mass political behaviors like voting," Fowler said. "When individuals say, 'It doesn't really matter if I vote,' others -- programmed genetically or by social norms -- may seek to punish them, even though it means a self-sacrifice." He believes that humans may have physically or developmentally evolved to altruistic punishment. Previous studies found that "acting the moralist" stimulates the reward center in the brain. Some researchers have suggested that cooperation may make sense in a society with altruistic punishers -- essentially, moralists who are willing to pay a personal cost to punish free-riders.

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