Co-operation 'beats selfishness'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 17-02-2012

A New York university professor has said co-operation within a group could drive evolution just as much as, or maybe even more than, selfish behaviour.

Professor David Sloan Wilson, who spoke at a conference organised by the Co-operative Group, advocated the idea of "multilevel selection", which stipulates that individuals’ behaviour evolves in a way that is beneficial to a group and increases its chances of survival.

He said he plans to test his theory, which he believes could be useful for communities and businesses, by encouraging community projects in Binghamton, a deprived city in New York state.

Professor Wilson said: "For decades we have been told that evolution is based entirely on individual and genetic self-interest which does not extend to groups.

"Is it any wonder that we have produced countless business leaders, financiers and politicians for whom the selfish pursuit of self-interest is a natural law and a maxim to live by?

"The truth is that individuals can evolve to behave for the good of of their groups and that co-operation is the signature adaptation of our own species. Selfishness might beat co-operation within groups, but co-operative groups beat selfish groups."

Copyright Press Association 2012