Cooperation Shapes Society

Modern penal institutions may reduce reproduction rates among incarcerated individuals, highlighting the relationship between social structure and behavior. In examining human and chimpanzee societies, the high prevalence of psychopathy in chimpanzees contrasts with the lower rates observed in humans, where only about 2-3% are clinically diagnosed. This difference arises from a long history of societal structures that reward cooperation and punish non-cooperation, ultimately influencing human social psychology. Unlike chimpanzees, humans have evolved to thrive in complex cultural frameworks, necessitating large societal interactions that further enhance cooperative behaviors.