Future Discounting in Congo Basin Hunter-Gatherers Declines with Socio-Economic Transitions.

ABSTRACT: Humans have a tendency to discount the future; that is we value small, short-term rewards over larger, long-term rewards. The degree of future discounting, however, changes in response to socio-ecological factors. Here, we study Mbendjele BaYaka hunter-gatherers of northern Congo and their farmer neighbours to investigate adaptations in inter-temporal preferences in humans. We argue that in immediate-return systems, where food storage is absent and egalitarianism is enforced through levelling mechanisms, future discounting is an adaptive strategy to prevent wealth accumulation and the emergence of hierarchies. This ensures food sharing and allows for survival in unpredictable environments where there is risk of an energy shortfall. On the other hand, when food storage is made possible by t

SUBMITTER: Salali GD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4575175 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature