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Strategies for Sharing Limited Resources among Children and Adolescents in Three Traditional Societies of East Africa: Sociocultural and Genetic Factors

  • GENERAL BIOLOGY
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Abstract

Egalitarianism, pursuit for equality, and altruism are the most important evolutionarily stable strategies in the human society. This study presents data on the results of economic games for sharing with a potential friend or unfamiliar peer in three ethnic groups of East Africa (Hadza, Iraqw, and Meru). The total sample was 583 children and adolescents; mean age, 13.5 ± 3.1 years. In addition, DNA analysis was carried out and the OXTR gene rs53576 single nucleotide polymorphism was genotyped for 162 Meru individuals. The pronounced individual variability in making decisions on sharing with a potential partner was established. Children and adolescents behaved altruistically towards friends significantly more frequently as compared with strangers. Carriers of the OXTR rs53576 GG variant displayed altruism significantly more frequently both to friends (U = 3376.500, p = 0.047; OR = 3.075, p = 0.032) and to strangers (U = 3478.000, p = 0.025; OR = 3.133, p = 0.007). Significant intergroup differences in egalitarianism, egoism, and altruism were also demonstrated. Data obtained suggest a positive group selection towards altruists.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Dar es Salaam for many years of assistance, Prof. A. Mabulla (Tanzania) for organizational support, our respondents for tolerance and favor.

Funding

This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant no. 18-18-00075. Academician V.A. Tishkov worked in the framework of the state contract of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences; D.V. Karelin, in the framework of the state contract of the Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences (0148-2019-0008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    M. L. Butovskaya, D. A. Dronova, V. O. Filatova &  V. A. Tishkov

  2. Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017, Moscow, Russia

    D. V. Karelin

  3. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    P. R. Butovskaya

Authors
  1. M. L. Butovskaya
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  2. D. V. Karelin
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  3. D. A. Dronova
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  4. V. O. Filatova
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  5. P. R. Butovskaya
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  6. V. A. Tishkov
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Correspondence to M. L. Butovskaya.

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Conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement of compliance with standards of research involving humans as subjects. The research protocol was approved by the Ethics of Moscow State University (expert opinion of the Bioethics Committee of Moscow State University, Protocol No. 55 of March 26, 2015). Field studies were carried out with the permission of the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) of the United Republic of Tanzania. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants involved in the study.

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Translated by A. Barkhash

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Butovskaya, M.L., Karelin, D.V., Dronova, D.A. et al. Strategies for Sharing Limited Resources among Children and Adolescents in Three Traditional Societies of East Africa: Sociocultural and Genetic Factors. Dokl Biol Sci 494, 219–224 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S001249662004002X

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S001249662004002X

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