Power

Dominance and Power #

Primate Origins #

• Baboons: hierarchical power structure w/ alpha male
• based on physical dominance (embodied wealth) — individually earned
• female power inherited from matriline

Human Origins #

• survival requires cooperative hunting + scavenging + breeding
• decades of training required to maximize embodied wealth + knowledge ⇒ long lifespan
• invention of weapons ⇒ evolve new form of dominance
  • control of group by leader = dominance (evolved 7.2 mya in primates, 1.2 mya in humans)
  • control of leader by group = reverse dominance (eg. voting)
  • social control of deviants ⇒ invention of capital punishment
    • punishment often meted out by kin (transgressors are dangerous, but don’t want inter-family conflict)
  • lethal weapons are a uniquely human invention
    • recent adaptations for projective weaponry: good aim, throwing power from homo erectus shoulder

Human Aggression #

Human aggression is unique — increased proactive aggression, reduced reactive

• Proactive aggression: deliberate, planned
  • enforces norms (policing)
  • prestigious men in small cultures decide punishment
  • more stratified societies ⇒ more extreme
• Reactive aggression: emotional, spontaneous

Prestige and Power #

Egalitarian Leveling #

• anti-hierarchical sentiment (desire for less extreme division)
• in chimps: constant acting out against high-ranking / bullying males
• in human band-level societies: replacement of leaders with reverse dominance

Two Paths to Power: Prestige vs Dominance #

Prestige:

• persuasion
  • deference
  • lots of imitation
  • self deprecation
  • others congregate to interact

Dominance:

• coercion, threat
  • only imitate to flatter
  • verbal intimidation
  • others avoid to reduce aggression

Credibility Enhancing Displays #

Expensive, honest display of sacrificial actions for beliefs higher cost = more convincing

Age Sets #

Ritual-based integration of kin-based group Everyone goes through painful rituals to increase prosociality

• bound by common experience

Aranda, Warramuga, Ilahita tribes: painful ceremonies for men

• purpose: accumulate CREDs

Semai: prestige-based culture, individualistic: seniors have power by persuading juniors, not because of force; anyone can reject advice

Why Prestige? #

• build collective brain
• intergenerational stability (requires social learning, high fidelity transmission)
• humans have evolved imitation, theory of mind, intentional gaze, direct active teaching
• best method: identify + copy best models
  • to extract knowledge, must become polite + deferential
  • more clients that want information ⇒ target gains more prestige
  • rapid progressive to cumulative culture
  • can be maladaptive: celebrity suicide

Human: Continue.