Main description: Why do humans, uniquely among animals, cooperate in large numbers to advance projects for the common good? Contrary to the conventional wisdom in biology and economics, this generous and civic-minded behavior is widespread and cannot be explained simply by far-sighted...

Both natural and cultural selection played an important role in shaping human evolution. Since cultural change can itself be regarded as evolutionary, a process of gene-culture coevolution is operative. The study of human evolution - in past, present and future - is therefore not restricted to...

The general goal of this thesis was to study conditions under which prosocial behavior is established and maintained. I approached these questions by applying predictions and assumptions of evolutionary game theory to human cooperation within experimental settings. Cooperative behavior is an...