- #1
tarekatpf
- 140
- 1
What is the evolutionary explanation for altruism to unrelated persons when social recognition is not expected?
....
Suppose, it's a cold night. I was walking by a street. There is nobody else around, except a poor physically disabled kid shivering in cold on the pavement. I thought it would be too bad for me if I was in his place, and decided to give him some money which might help him buy a jacket, though not sufficient to buy one ( yet I gave to him expecting that someone else would give him some more, and he would be able to buy one. )
Of course, I never did something so generous, but it's not hard to imagine such an incident taking place. And I think it's not so rare of an incident, too.
Now, the person I gave my money is probably very distantly related.
I get no social recognition, because nobody else is around, and I didn't tell about my giving to any friends as well. ( Social recognition helps you get more partners to produce offspring. )
There is possibility that if I try to help whoever I think needs help without thinking who can help me in return as well, there are more chances that I will be helping more people who can help me in return indeed, than if I tried to think who can indeed help me before deciding to help somebody ( in which case I might be making errors in judging who can help me in return, and not helping somebody who could help me indeed. )
But yet, it was very clear to me that physically disabled kid would never be able to help me in return.
How do you explain such behaviour which is not very uncommon among us ( a lot of people donate anonymously )?
Is it simply because I was encouraged to help disabled people by our parents in our childhood ( which in fact does give you social recognition ), and I just keep this idea subconsciously that I would get social recognition ( such as praise of family and friends ) if I help any disabled people I meet, though that might involve helping somebody which wouldn't be known to my family and friends?
( A question on my personal feeling. You may ignore this question as this is more related to psychology. If I become aware of the fact that giving makes us feel good only because subconsciously we want social recognition, then it should make me feel good to decide to help those disabled people ONLY whenever my friends and family are around. Yet I would feel bad if I don't help a disabled person when nobody is around. What is the basis of that ''feeling bad?'' Is it because I am afraid that if somebody finds out that I only help when some friend or family member is around, they would think I basically show off? )
....
Suppose, it's a cold night. I was walking by a street. There is nobody else around, except a poor physically disabled kid shivering in cold on the pavement. I thought it would be too bad for me if I was in his place, and decided to give him some money which might help him buy a jacket, though not sufficient to buy one ( yet I gave to him expecting that someone else would give him some more, and he would be able to buy one. )
Of course, I never did something so generous, but it's not hard to imagine such an incident taking place. And I think it's not so rare of an incident, too.
Now, the person I gave my money is probably very distantly related.
I get no social recognition, because nobody else is around, and I didn't tell about my giving to any friends as well. ( Social recognition helps you get more partners to produce offspring. )
There is possibility that if I try to help whoever I think needs help without thinking who can help me in return as well, there are more chances that I will be helping more people who can help me in return indeed, than if I tried to think who can indeed help me before deciding to help somebody ( in which case I might be making errors in judging who can help me in return, and not helping somebody who could help me indeed. )
But yet, it was very clear to me that physically disabled kid would never be able to help me in return.
How do you explain such behaviour which is not very uncommon among us ( a lot of people donate anonymously )?
Is it simply because I was encouraged to help disabled people by our parents in our childhood ( which in fact does give you social recognition ), and I just keep this idea subconsciously that I would get social recognition ( such as praise of family and friends ) if I help any disabled people I meet, though that might involve helping somebody which wouldn't be known to my family and friends?
( A question on my personal feeling. You may ignore this question as this is more related to psychology. If I become aware of the fact that giving makes us feel good only because subconsciously we want social recognition, then it should make me feel good to decide to help those disabled people ONLY whenever my friends and family are around. Yet I would feel bad if I don't help a disabled person when nobody is around. What is the basis of that ''feeling bad?'' Is it because I am afraid that if somebody finds out that I only help when some friend or family member is around, they would think I basically show off? )