Rising stakes and nonrandom relationships drive cooperation toward structured social groups

Evidence

Social evolutionary models would fit better with our experience if two additional elements were included in them. First, in repeat interactions the stakes should rise in later interactions. A good reason for risking cooperation early is, of course, that the loss will be small in absolute terms while later gains promise to be large in comparison with the initially risked loss. Hence repeat interaction with the same person is doubly valuable. Second, partly because of the first point, encounters will not be random; rather, we will tend to develop ongoing relationships. The natural evolution of cooperation will therefore be toward social structure, with groups and closely related dyads developing as the milieus for cooperation. — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 631

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Axelrod’s iterated-PD results and to Luhmann’s emphasis on familiarity as the baseline that trust builds from — structured ongoing relationships here are the mechanism. — connects to: Chapter-based groups retain members through personal ties rather than mission — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 517; Group cohesion grows from networked personal bonds, not mere shared categories — Scott Atran, The Devoted Actor: Unconditional…, 52
• APHORISMS: A genuine life-advice nugget: take cheap risks early with people you’ll keep meeting; the compounded relationship is the real asset.