Men increase contributions to a public good when under sexual competition.

ABSTRACT: Why humans cooperate in large groups and with non-kin remains a puzzle for researchers across the natural and social sciences. Investigating whether cooperation is sexually selected could contribute to an understanding of the evolution of human cooperation. Competition for access to mates could indeed select for cooperation. Using controlled laboratory experiments, we analyse whether and how the sex composition of a social environment, testosterone level, and relationship status affect contributions to a public good. The results show that variation in sex composition alters the amount of money that single men (but not men in a couple or women) contribute to a public good. Notably, in line with the competitive helping hypothesis, awareness of the presence of a woman leads to larger contribu

SUBMITTER: Tognetti A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4944141 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature