In this blog post, we’ll examine the sacrifices made by Korean independence activists during the Japanese colonial period from the perspective of altruistic behavior, and explore why people engage in actions that don’t directly benefit them using the “costly signaling” hypothesis.
The Independence Movement and Altruistic Behavior
“Hey, Samcheonbul! We mustn’t forget us~”
Have you seen the 2015 film ‘Assassination’? Set in 1933 during the Japanese colonial period, ‘Assassination’ tells the story of Ahn Ok-yun (played by Jeon Ji-hyun) and Hawaii Pistol (played by Ha Jung-woo) as they carry out assassination operations targeting pro-Japanese collaborators and Japanese officials, and the film gained immense popularity. The film ultimately drew approximately 12.7 million viewers, becoming a major box office hit at the time. While it delivers a sense of catharsis through its characters’ exceptional sniper skills and pistol-handling prowess, it also prompts viewers to reflect on the hardships endured by the independence activists who dedicated themselves to their nation during that era.
However, while many people at the time may have secretly rooted for the independence activists, it would have been difficult to support them directly or indirectly under the oppression of Japanese colonial rule. The independence activists had to endure financial hardships while living on the run, evading surveillance and pursuit by the Japanese authorities. Nevertheless, they fought fiercely for their country’s independence. Such actions—acting for the benefit of others or a group while incurring personal loss—are called “altruistic acts.” We can find examples of this in our own lives, such as blood donation or charitable giving. Generally, people weigh the costs and benefits to make choices that benefit themselves, but these actions differ from such typical choices. So why do people engage in such altruistic behavior?
The “Costly Signaling” Theory Explaining Altruistic Behavior
For a long time, many fields of social science have sought to explain why people engage in altruistic behavior through various theories. Among the various theories, the one we will introduce here is the “costly signaling” hypothesis. This theory originates from a study on hunting practices in a tribal society. In this society, boasting about one’s superior abilities is frowned upon, and such behavior is sometimes even considered a threat to social order and subject to sanctions. Professor Christine Hawks focused on hunting as a means of demonstrating one’s abilities in such a society. The idea is that by hunting to obtain food and engaging in altruistic behavior—such as sharing it with others—an individual can demonstrate and flaunt their abilities. The strength required to confront wild animals and the hunting skills themselves are not easily acquired by everyone; moreover, hunting carries the risk of injury or even death. Therefore, hunting can serve as a “costly signal” that others find difficult to imitate. Applying this perspective to general situations, the elements that make up “signaling theory” can be understood as follows:
Among those sending signals, individuals with limited ability must invest heavily in signaling precisely because of their lack of ability. Conversely, if the benefits gained from signaling are not significant, they will eventually give up signaling. Capable individuals, on the other hand, can signal without significant burden because their ability is sufficient, and the benefits they gain from having their ability recognized can be substantial. Recipients of the signals come to believe that capable individuals are the ones sending them and thus trust those signals.
So why do these individuals go to the trouble of sending such costly signals? Professor Hawks argues that display behavior in tribal societies can provide an advantage in mate selection. The ability to hunt successfully can be interpreted as a signal demonstrating sufficient capacity to protect or provide for a spouse and family, thereby making it advantageous for self-promotion. Thus, even if such altruistic behavior appears, on the surface, to reduce the benefits returning to the individual, it can be viewed as creating the potential for other forms of benefit. In fact, studies explaining human hunting and food sharing from the perspective of costly signals have highlighted that characteristics such as hunting ability, willingness to cooperate, and reputation can be communicated to others.
Can the independence movement be explained through the theory of costly signaling?
Applying the concepts discussed so far to the earlier examples, we can interpret Ahn Ok-yun and the “Hawaii Pistol” as having sent costly signals—demonstrating their abilities by eliminating the nation’s enemies during the Japanese colonial period through their exceptional marksmanship. Of course, this is an interpretation of the characters’ actions in the film from the perspective of signaling theory. The actual actions of independence activists cannot be explained merely as attempts to flaunt personal abilities or gain personal benefits; we must also consider the historical context in which they had to sacrifice their lives, property, and even their relationships with family for the sake of national independence and freedom.
From this perspective, the activities of independence activists can be viewed as a kind of “costly signal,” given the immense risks and costs they had to bear. This is because participating in the independence movement required them to endure arrest, torture, imprisonment, exile, financial loss, and even death. Furthermore, the activities of the independence activists served to demonstrate to others their resolve to achieve Korea’s independence. Since actions that entail such significant personal costs are difficult for anyone to easily imitate, they can serve as a powerful signal of the resolve and dedication embodied in those actions.
Similarly, donating blood can be interpreted as an action that demonstrates one’s health status and willingness to help others, while donating to charity for the underprivileged can serve as a signal of one’s financial capacity to share resources with others and a sense of social responsibility. Of course, we cannot assume that everyone who engages in such behaviors does so solely to demonstrate their capabilities or resources to others. However, the costly signaling hypothesis explains that actions which, on the surface, appear to be self-defeating can, under certain conditions, serve as a means of conveying one’s capabilities, qualities, or willingness to cooperate to others.
The Significance and Limitations of the Costly Signaling Hypothesis
In summary, the costly signaling hypothesis is a theory that originated from behaviors such as hunting and food sharing in tribal societies to explain the causes of altruistic behavior. It posits that acting altruistically can serve as a signal to others that one possesses certain abilities and qualities. Because such signals are “costly”—meaning they are not easily replicated by others—they can actually help build trust. It can also serve as a means of demonstrating one’s abilities and qualities in situations involving competition or cooperation with others. By showcasing one’s abilities, there is also the potential to gain additional benefits, such as a better reputation or stronger social relationships. This theory is significant in that it moves beyond explaining human altruistic behavior solely as self-sacrifice or unconditional goodwill, suggesting instead that such behavior may serve the function of a social signal or offer potential benefits. However, the costly signaling theory is not a universal theory that explains all reasons for altruistic behavior. Recent studies have pointed out limitations to the hypothesis that explains hunting and food sharing as costly signals, such as the difficulty in clearly predicting which traits are being signaled and the fact that costly signals cannot be determined based on actual costs alone.
Sending costly signals cannot always be viewed as behavior intended to gain additional benefits. If all altruistic behavior were motivated solely by the benefits that would accrue to the individual, it would be difficult to adequately explain the sacrifices made by the countless independence activists who have gone down in history. In fact, rather than seeking immediate rewards for their actions, these activists participated in the independence movement while risking arrest, imprisonment, torture, and death. Furthermore, it is not the case that, over time, only those capable of sending costly signals become altruistic actors. While this point can be explained through other theories, such as the spatial structure effect, these theories also have their own limitations. Human altruistic behavior is difficult to explain through a single cause or theory alone; it is highly likely that multiple factors interact in complex ways. Ultimately, the path toward a theory that perfectly explains human altruistic behavior remains long and arduous.
