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Cooperation, Risk and the Evolution of Teamwork

  • Chapter
Teamwork

Abstract

Our aims in this chapter are twofold. First, we place teamwork in the context of the evolutionary analysis of cooperation and altruism. This allows us to predict the evolutionary scenarios likely to have favoured the evolution of team work, the probable origins of human teamwork and the biases to be predicted in team thinking. Second, we examine the influences of environmental adversity and uncertainty (both conceptualized as ‘risk’) on cooperation in the organic world and describe a new model to explain these influences. We conclude by drawing conclusions about the role of environmental risk in the emergence of human cooperation and teamwork.

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Authors
  1. Peter Andras
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  2. John Lazarus
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford University, UK

    Natalie Gold (doctorate in economics) (doctorate in economics)

Copyright information

© 2005 Peter Andras and John Lazarus

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Andras, P., Lazarus, J. (2005). Cooperation, Risk and the Evolution of Teamwork. In: Gold, N. (eds) Teamwork. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230523203_4

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