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Economic models are not evolutionary models

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2005

Roger J. Sullivan*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA95819-6106www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sullivanr
Henry F. Lyle, III*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA95819-6106www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sullivanr

Abstract

Henrich et al. reject the “selfishness axiom” within a narrowly-defined economic model, and are premature in claiming that they have demonstrated cross-cultural variability in “selfishness” as defined in broader evolutionary theory. We also question whether a key experimental condition, anonymity, can be maintained in the small, cohesive, social groupings employed in the study.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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