Signaling, Dyad Formation, and the Encrypted Nature of Group Cohesion

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. Richard McElreath and Dr. Thomas Flamson will explore the mechanisms that influence human group formation and the means through which group formation are negotiated, maintained, and reformed, a core question in anthropology's mission to theoretically explore the causes, consequences, and complexities of human social and cultural variability. The project will entail a two-year study of the formation of smaller cooperative groups within larger communities, a process often called "assortment." Individuals vary in their goals, desires, and abilities, and successful cooperation often depends upon assortment that respects this variation. This research will be primarily conducted in an agricultural community in Northeastern Brazil, where the changes in community membership and composition since 1997 have led to new assortment of relationships with both kin and non-kin. Additional behavioral experiments will be conducted at UC Davis, for cross-cultural comparison. Three primary questions will be addressed: (1) How much do people vary within groups, in knowledge, attitudes, and personality?; (2) How do people produce and understand signals of this variation?; and (3) How do people use this information to assort within groups? Evidence will come from mathematical modeling, experiments, participant observation, time allocation studies, social network structure, and content analysis of verbal interactions. Anthropologists have long recognized the importance of so-called "ethnic markers" in signaling group membership to improve cooperative outcomes, which has recently been the focus of extensive formal modeling. Given the fluid nature of social life, however, assortment within local groups confronts a different set of problems than that between groups, which this research will address, assessing adaptations to individual variation. Further, this work investigates the significance of individual differences in generating cultural products, emphasizing the role of similarity-based preferences in interpersonal association, and uncovering the underlying signaling functions of symbolic behaviors. This project will also make broader contributions to international collaboration and scientific training. Extensive interaction with Brazilian scholars will be facilitated at multiple universities in Brazil, strengthening ongoing associations and introducing new opportunities for collaboration. Research training and experience will also be provided to students, both in the US and in Brazil. Finally, the study of social assortment and cooperative outcomes has tremendous applied importance for the design of institutions for conservation and governance, at both local and regional scales.