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What is a group? Conceptual clarity can help integrate evolutionary and social scientific research on cooperation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2014

Drew Gerkey  and
Lee Cronk
Drew Gerkey
Affiliation:
Postdoctoral Fellow, National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, University of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 21401. [email protected]
Lee Cronk
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. [email protected]://anthro.rutgers.edu/fac/department-undergrad-a-grad-faculty/lee-cronk
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Abstract

Smaldino argues that evolutionary theories of social behavior do not adequately explain the emergence of group-level traits, including differentiation of roles and organized interactions among individuals. We find Smaldino's account to be commendable but incomplete. Our commentary focuses on a simple question that has not been adequately addressed: What is a group?

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , June 2014 , pp. 260 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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