reciprocal altruism

a form of helping behavior that is sustained when one individual (A) helps another (B) and at some future time B helps A or A’s offspring. The requirements of reciprocal altruism are (a) that the participants are able to identify each other individually, (b) that they are able to remember past actions and who helped whom, (c) that the cost to the helper is less than the gain to the recipient, and (d) that there is a mechanism to protect against cheating. Game theory provides a theoretical system for understanding reciprocal altruism. See also altruism.

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Psychology term of the day

October 5th 2024

resilience

n. the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands. A number of factors contribute to how well people adapt to adversities, predominant among them (a) the ways in which individuals view and engage with the world, (b) the availability and quality of social resources, and (c) specific coping strategies. Psychological research demonstrates that the resources and skills associated with more positive adaptation (i.e., greater resilience) can be cultivated and practiced. Also called psychological resilience. See also coping behavior; coping-skills training. —resilient adj.