ABSTRACT
Interacting with others Interactions have been defined as ‘dyadic behavior in which the participants’ actions are inter-dependent such that each actor’s behavior is both a response to and a stimulus for the other participant’s behavior’ (Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 2006). This chapter is about two kinds of interaction: cooperation and competition. Cooperation entails sharing of commodities (e.g. food) and knowledge, and providing helping behavior (e.g. if someone is injured). This type of behavior is also termed altruism, but with the added twist that altruism is often described as ‘selfless’ in that no personal gain is obtained. Non-cooperation entails keeping commodities and knowledge for oneself and not providing help to others. For most people, Darwin’s theory of natural selection is synonymous with competition, as exemplified in the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ (a term not actually used by Darwin). When put this way, cooperation seems like a puzzle. Being social and cooperative compromises one’s own time and resources. If my genes (and my traits) are to survive then they have to be of benefit to me, not to you. However, short-term costs to an individual have to be balanced against the longer-term benefits to be had through group living. Individuals working together in groups may increase chances of survival by, for instance, hunting as a group and sharing knowledge and skills.
