Altruism as a problem involving group versus individual selection in economics and biology

Article Abstract:

Economists tend to avoid discussing altruism, preferring instead to focus on enlightened self-interest or rationalization. Competition, or selection, at one stage is not necessarily dependent on selection at another stage. A mathematical model shows how group-adverse effects of individual selection show a bias to have a low probability of persistence by the actions of group selection. The use of logic and mathematics to describe survivability illustrates that group selection eliminates several perversities of individual selection.

Natural selection, Group selection (Evolution), Group selection (Natural selection)

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Bequest behavior and the effect of heirs' earnings: testing the altruistic model of bequests

Article Abstract:

Inheritance information from the federal estate tax returns of the richest people does not support the idea that bequests are compensatory when compared to income tax return data for child beneficiaries. Most of the rich decedents bequeath equally to their children. This finding clarifies the estate division question and implies a theoretical generalization of the common altruistic model. Also, lower average income of children usually do not lead to statistically significant larger bequests from their parents.

Inheritance and succession

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Altruism and economics

Article Abstract:

Economic theory has assumed that the main human motive is economic gain, but altruism and organizational identification also are motives. Humans are incapable of optimization because they have uncertain and incomplete information, making only bounded and approximate rationality possible. Humans also are characterized by docility, or the tendency to be influenced by social networks when making choices. A model shows that populations characterized by docility and bounded rationality exhibit altruism.

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