The Science of Cooperation

Trust is a necessary prerequisite for successful cooperation. Many species across the animal kingdom cooperate - do they also trust one another? In his lecture, Jan Engelmann will present recent findings from research investigating whether chimpanzees, one of our closest living relatives, trust each other. Engelmann will argue that also nonhuman animals can form trusting relationships. Indeed, chimpanzee trust shows many of the same signatures as trust in humans. For example, chimpanzees are more likely to trust their friends than neutral individuals. But one aspect of human trust might be unique in the animal kingdom: Humans are the only species that can establish trusting relationships with strangers.