What behaviour in economic games tells us about the evolution of non-human species' economic decision-making behaviour

Abstract

In the past decade, there has been a surge of interest in using games derived from experimental economics to test decision-making behaviour across species. In most cases, researchers are using the games as a tool, for instance, to understand what factors influence decision-making, how decision-making differs across species or contexts, or to ask broader questions about species’ propensities to cooperate or compete. These games have been quite successful in this regard. To what degree, however, do these games tap into species' economic decision-making? For the purpose of understanding the evolution of economic systems in humans, this is the key question. To study this, we can break economic decision-making down into smaller components, each of which is a potential step in the evolution of human economic behaviour. We can then use data from economic games, which are simplified, highly structured models of decision-making and therefore ideal for the comparative approach, to directly compare these components across species and contexts, as well as in relation to more naturalistic behaviours, to better understand the evolution of economic behaviour and the social and ecological contexts that influenced it. The comparative approach has successfully informed us about the evolution of other complex traits, such as language and morality, and should help us more deeply understand why and how human economic systems evolved. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Existence and prevalence of economic behaviours among non-human primates’.

Half a century of evolutionary games: a synthesis of theory, application and future directions

“…Shaw et al [31] review the application of evolutionary game theory in studies on seasonal migration and present a new model to study whether infection by a novel parasite in a different environment may lead to migration loss. A promising way to connect studies in humans and other animals is to use the comparative economics approach (reviewed in [32]) by which humans and other animals (usually primates) are put into identical contexts for making decisions. This approach has revealed great variation in the ability to make 'optimal' decisions across species and different underlying proximate mechanisms that lead to the same decision-making outcome.…”

Economic behaviours among non-human primates

“…The same methodological prudence is adopted by Sarah Brosnan [45] in an article that explores what behaviour in economic games tells us about the evolution of non-human species' economic decision-making behaviour. Instead of 'just' applying a game-theoretical framework to probe the factors that influence decision-making, or to engage into inter-species comparisons through these stylized strategic situations or even to hope to gain direct knowledge on propensions to competition or cooperation in those same species, it is possible, Brosnan argues, to use game-theoretical experimental methods to engage in a reconstructive study of what behavioural ingredients are selectively required to make up fully fledged economic behaviour as we know it in humans.…”

Comparative economics: how studying other primates helps us better understand the evolution of our own economic decision making

“…Games derived from experimental economics are ideal for this comparative approach [26,27]. Importantly, economic games are highly structured and standardized, making them suitable to compare across species and contexts.…”