In this blog post, we’ll explore the idea that seemingly altruistic acts may actually be calculated selfishness, and examine the true meaning of kindness through various examples.
As we go through life, all sorts of things happen. Horrific incidents like murder or sexual assault become social issues and are recorded in the news, but the astonishing events that unfold among the people around us quietly remain as memories in our hearts. As we experience these things, we naturally start to think, “The world is truly a selfish place. If you’re kind, you end up losing out.” Ironically, however, even amidst all this, there are still many altruistic people in the world. So, do altruistic people perhaps possess greater advantages than selfish ones? And what drives them to act altruistically?
Is altruistic behavior truly distinct from selfish behavior? To put it simply, the concept of “altruism” we’re discussing here may appear on the surface to be an act of generosity toward others, but deep down, it could be a rational choice made after a moment of calculation, with the expectation of some benefit. It may not be a purely selfless act intended solely to help others, but rather a calculated action taken in the hope that it will bring personal benefit in the future. Given this, the term “altruistic” does not simply mean sacrificing oneself unconditionally for others like a fool.
Let me give an example. While on my way to buy supplies for a school class, I received a call from a friend. The friend said they also needed to buy those supplies but hadn’t gotten around to it yet, and asked if I could pick up theirs for them while I was there. I readily agreed to do so. The reason might be that it wasn’t a difficult request since I was going that way anyway, or perhaps I naturally decided to help because I’m usually close with that friend. However, in the back of my mind, there might have been an expectation that “if I ever ask for a favor like this later, that friend might readily agree.” This kind of altruistic behavior, performed with the expectation of receiving something in return later, is called “reciprocal altruism.”
Reciprocal altruism does not occur unconditionally but is based on several premises. The most important condition among these is that the relationship is long-lasting and repetitive. The longer a relationship lasts, the higher the probability that the other person will respond to my request later on, and this leads to the calculation that I, too, will be able to reap the expected benefits. In this context, the closer the relationship, the more willingly people engage in altruistic behavior toward the other person. Furthermore, a repetitive relationship provides opportunities to evaluate each other’s behavior, making retaliation possible. If someone ignores or rejects the kindness of a person who has helped them, the resulting loss extends beyond just that relationship and can lead to further harm. Consequently, people within relationships carefully evaluate the favors they exchange and act accordingly.
In fact, altruistic behavior is easily observed in animal societies as well. In particular, Wilkinson’s study of vampire bats is cited as a prime example illustrating reciprocal altruism. Vampire bats typically survive by feeding on the blood of large animals, and it is said that if they are unable to feed, they can die within three days. Faced with this crisis, vampire bats make a remarkable choice: they share their blood with one another. These animals thrive by maintaining reciprocal relationships; calculations suggest that without this altruistic sharing of blood, the average life expectancy of vampire bats would be only about three years. However, thanks to this altruistic behavior, their lifespan can be extended to up to 15 years. The fact that altruistic behavior manifests in a way that aids mutual survival even within vampire bat societies can be seen as an instinctive form of altruism.
So, can the Reciprocal Altruism Hypothesis explain all behaviors in humans and animals? In fact, we often encounter examples in our daily interactions with others that do not fit this hypothesis. For instance, the unconditional love parents show their children or the selfless acts of kindness received from others are difficult to explain solely through reciprocal altruism, which relies on repeated interactions or the expectation of a reward. In such relationships, it is not mere calculation—such as expectation or retaliation—but human emotions, namely intangible values like affection or humanity, that come into play.
Ultimately, this hypothesis is not an absolute truth capable of explaining all human relationships; rather, it should be used as a tool to explain certain aspects of diverse human relationships and psychology. In this way, reciprocal altruism and the repetition-reciprocity hypothesis serve as a theoretical framework for explaining some behaviors that occur within the complex relationships of human society, and they can be viewed as a perspective that helps us understand just how complex and multifaceted human beings are.
