A framework for the unification of the behavioral sciences

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert Gintis
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Other Regarding ◽  
Analytical Tools ◽  
Other Regarding Preferences

The various behavioral disciplines model human behavior in distinct and incompatible ways. Yet, recent theoretical and empirical developments have created the conditions for rendering coherent the areas of overlap of the various behavioral disciplines. The analytical tools deployed in this task incorporate core principles from several behavioral disciplines. The proposed framework recognizes evolutionary theory, covering both genetic and cultural evolution, as the integrating principle of behavioral science. Moreover, if decision theory and game theory are broadened to encompass other-regarding preferences, they become capable of modeling all aspects of decision making, including those normally considered “psychological,” “sociological,” or “anthropological.” The mind as a decision-making organ then becomes the organizing principle of psychology.

In evolutionary games, enlightened self-interests are still ultimately self-interests

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Getty
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Evolutionary Games ◽  
Analytical Tool ◽  
Behavioral Sciences ◽  
Other Regarding ◽  
Other Regarding Preferences

Evolutionary theory provides a firm foundation for the unification of the behavioral sciences, and the beliefs, preferences, and constraints (BPC) model is a useful analytical tool for understanding human behavior. However, evolutionary theory suggests that if other-regarding preferences expressed by humans have evolved under selection, they are ultimately, if not purely, in the constrained, relative self-interests of individuals who express them.

scholarly journals Love is not enough: Other-regarding preferences cannot explain payoff dominance in game theory

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-23
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Colman
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Theory ◽  
Payoff Dominance ◽  
Interactive Decision Making ◽  
Other Regarding ◽  
Other Regarding Preferences

Even if game theory is broadened to encompass other-regarding preferences, it cannot adequately model all aspects of interactive decision making. Payoff dominance is an example of a phenomenon that can be adequately modeled only by departing radically from standard assumptions of decision theory and game theory – either the unit of agency or the nature of rationality.

Rethinking Cultural Evolutionary Psychology

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 477-492
Author(s):  
Ryan Nichols ◽  
Henrike Moll ◽  
Jacob L. Mackey
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Cultural Evolutionary ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Point Of Departure ◽  
Alternative Theories

AbstractThis essay discusses Cecilia Heyes’ groundbreaking new book Cognitive Gadgets: The Cultural Evolution of Thinking. Heyes’ point of departure is the claim that current theories of cultural evolution fail adequately to make a place for the mind. Heyes articulates a cognitive psychology of cultural evolution by explaining how eponymous “cognitive gadgets,” such as imitation, mindreading and language, mental technologies, are “tuned” and “assembled” through social interaction and cultural learning. After recapitulating her explanations for the cultural and psychological origins of these gadgets, we turn to criticisms. Among those, we find Heyes’ use of evolutionary theory confusing on several points of importance; alternative theories of cultural evolution, especially those of the Tomasello group and of Boyd, Richerson and Henrich, are misrepresented; the book neglects joint attention and other forms of intersubjectivity in its explanation of the origins of cognitive gadgets; and, whereas Heyes accuses other theories of being “mindblind,” we find her theory ironically other-blind and autistic in character.

Social Intelligence and Altruism

2020 ◽  
pp. 155-185
Author(s):  
Daeyeol Lee
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Intelligence ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Social Decision ◽  
Social Intelligence Hypothesis ◽  
Neuroscience Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Social Decision Making

According to the social intelligence hypothesis, the unusual enlargement of primate brains, including the human brain, was driven by the complexity of social decision-making primates face in their societies. Social decision-making is fundamentally more complex due to the recursive nature of social reasoning. This chapter begins with the review of game theory and illustrates how game theory has transformed neuroscience research on social decision-making. Some of the topics covered include the supposed death of game theory, altruism and its dark side, cooperation, the theory of the mind, the prisoner’s dilemma, the recursive mind, and the social brain.

The psychology of decision making in a unified behavioral science

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-42
Author(s):  
Keith E. Stanovich
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Unique Feature ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
Judgment And Decision Making ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Multiple Systems ◽  
Unified View ◽  
Preference Structures ◽  
The Mind

The cognitive psychology of judgment and decision making helps to elaborate Gintis's unified view of the behavioral sciences by highlighting the fact that decisions result from multiple systems in the mind. It also adds to the unified view the idea that the potential to self-critique preference structures is a unique feature of human cognition.

scholarly journals Human Cultural Dimensions and Behavior during COVID-19 Can Lead to Policy Resistance and Economic Losses: A Perspective from Game Theory Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamer Oraby ◽  
Michael G. Tyshenko ◽  
Samit Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Evolutionary Game ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Economic Resilience ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Behavioral Decision

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant societal impacts. Besides loss of life there were large additional costs incurred by every country including the treatment of patients and costs to implement response plans. The pandemic resulted in major economic disruptions and stalled growth worldwide due to travel bans, lockdowns, social distancing, and non-essential business closures. Public health officials in almost every country implemented and encouraged Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) such as contact tracing, social distancing, masks, and isolation. Human behavioral decision-making concerning social isolation was a major hindrance to the success in curbing the pandemic worldwide. In many developing countries individuals’ choices were motivated by the competing risk of losing jobs, and daily income. In this chapter we focus on human behavior concerning social isolation in the context of decision-making during the pandemic. We developed a conceptual framework and deterministic model that integrated evolutionary game theory within our disease transmission model. We illustrate scenarios numerically simulating the model. This study highlights the idea that human behavior is an important component in successful disease control strategies. Economic resilience, especially in low-income countries, can improve public understanding and uptake of NPIs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document