Generalized reciprocity cannot be explained by partner-control mechanisms.

Evidence

Many cooperative acts, however, like giving a ride, holding doors, or giving money to the needy, cannot be adequately described in terms of reciprocity so understood. One might, of course, describe such acts as examples of “generalized reciprocity,” a notion that, according to Sahlins who made it popular, “refers to transactions that are putatively altruistic, transactions on the line of assistance given and, if possible and necessary, assistance returned. […] This is not to say that handing over things in such form … generates no counter-obligation. But the counter is not stipulated by time, quantity, or quality: the expectation of reciprocity is indefinite” (Sahlins 1965, p. 147). Such forms of cooperation are indeed genuine and important. Their description in terms of “reciprocity” however, can be misleading if it leads one to expect that the evolution of generalized reciprocity could be explained by generalizing standard models of the evolution of strict reciprocity. Free-riding, which is already difficult to control in strict reciprocity situations, is plainly not controlled in these cases; hence, the evolution of generalized reciprocity cannot be explained in terms of partner control. … We prefer therefore to talk of “mutualism” rather than of “generalized reciprocity.” — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 75

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes Sahlins’ ‘generalized reciprocity’ from strict reciprocity, shifting the term to ‘mutualism.’
• XREF: Connects to the reader’s framework on partner choice vs. partner control as distinct enforcement mechanisms. — connects to: Kin selection explains cooperation only among genetically related relatives; The underdetermination of partner-control models explains moral diversity, not failure. — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality: The…, 450; Fairness is not reducible to mutualistic partner choice. — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality: The…, 567 (+4 more)

Related

• Kin selection explains cooperation only among genetically related relatives (similarity 0.87)
• Reciprocal altruism is really mutualism, not altruism (similarity 0.84)
• Morality requires mutual advantage, not strict accounting of reciprocated acts. (similarity 0.84)
• Altruistic cooperators still choose partners they trust and cooperate only where reciprocation is possible. (similarity 0.84)
• Morality may have evolved via partner choice over partner control (similarity 0.83)
• Cooperation arises from partner choice, not reciprocal tit-for-tat, across species and human development. (similarity 0.82)
• Morality evolved as a propensity for fair cost-benefit sharing among cooperators. (similarity 0.82)
• Competitive altruism permits unconditional giving rather than matched reciprocity (similarity 0.82)
• Morality evolves from individual partner-choice competition, not group selection. (similarity 0.82)
• Natural selection favors both the disposition to reciprocate and to volunteer help proactively. (similarity 0.82)
• Fairness is not reducible to mutualistic partner choice. (similarity 0.82)
• Fairness evolves from partner choice, not partner control (similarity 0.81)
• Morality evolved because fair partners were preferred in cooperative interactions (similarity 0.81)
• Morality is about fair cooperation, not maximizing welfare. (similarity 0.81)
• Stable unconditional cooperation exists and mutualism alone cannot explain it. (similarity 0.81)

Broader Connections

• The underdetermination of partner-control models explains moral diversity, not failure. #expands (0.82) — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 450
• Fairness is not reducible to mutualistic partner choice. #corroborates (0.80) — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 567
• Morality may have evolved via partner choice over partner control #corroborates (0.80) — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 347
• Fairness evolves from partner choice, not partner control #corroborates (0.78) — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 610
• Competitive altruism permits unconditional giving rather than matched reciprocity #corroborates (0.76) — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 530