Daniel Friedman, Barry Sinervo, Daniel Friedman, and Barry Sinervo
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199981151
- eISBN:
- 9780190466657
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199981151.003.0009
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Behavioural Economics
Chapter 9 considers “plastic” strategies that respond to contingencies, as well as life-cycle strategies. Various usages of the term plasticity are classified and equilibrium analyses are developed. ...
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Chapter 9 considers “plastic” strategies that respond to contingencies, as well as life-cycle strategies. Various usages of the term plasticity are classified and equilibrium analyses are developed. Role contingent plasticity is exemplified by Maynard Smith’s well-known bourgeois strategy in Hawk-Dove interactions. State-contingent plasticity depends on external environmental cues, exemplified by tadpoles that transform between omnivorous and carnivorous types depending on the availability of shrimp. Frequency-contingent plasticity uses local cues on strategy distribution to transform own strategy, exemplified by sneaker males that transform to territorial types when territorial types are rare. Payoff-contingent plasticity responds to cues on relative payoffs; examples include context-dependent mate choice for subordinate or dominant males depending on son payoffs in the next generation. This chapter also develops a life-cycle framework and applies it to data collected on elephant seal mating behavior and life history at Año Nuevo beaches from 1970 to 2012.Less
Chapter 9 considers “plastic” strategies that respond to contingencies, as well as life-cycle strategies. Various usages of the term plasticity are classified and equilibrium analyses are developed. Role contingent plasticity is exemplified by Maynard Smith’s well-known bourgeois strategy in Hawk-Dove interactions. State-contingent plasticity depends on external environmental cues, exemplified by tadpoles that transform between omnivorous and carnivorous types depending on the availability of shrimp. Frequency-contingent plasticity uses local cues on strategy distribution to transform own strategy, exemplified by sneaker males that transform to territorial types when territorial types are rare. Payoff-contingent plasticity responds to cues on relative payoffs; examples include context-dependent mate choice for subordinate or dominant males depending on son payoffs in the next generation. This chapter also develops a life-cycle framework and applies it to data collected on elephant seal mating behavior and life history at Año Nuevo beaches from 1970 to 2012.
Gillian Barker
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231171885
- eISBN:
- 9780231540391
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231171885.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Using utilitarian or cost-benefit thinking to assess possible large-scale social chagnes is problematic because it is unclear how to value the costs and benefits--in particular, because some social ...
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Using utilitarian or cost-benefit thinking to assess possible large-scale social chagnes is problematic because it is unclear how to value the costs and benefits--in particular, because some social changes will affect the ways people assign value to their life circumstances. This problem is related to what Sen and Nussbaum call "adaptive preferences," but considering this issue in light of biologists' understanding of phenotypic plasticity suggests that the problem goes further than philosophers had recognized, since differing developmental environments may have permanent effects on people's capacities and preferences.Less
Using utilitarian or cost-benefit thinking to assess possible large-scale social chagnes is problematic because it is unclear how to value the costs and benefits--in particular, because some social changes will affect the ways people assign value to their life circumstances. This problem is related to what Sen and Nussbaum call "adaptive preferences," but considering this issue in light of biologists' understanding of phenotypic plasticity suggests that the problem goes further than philosophers had recognized, since differing developmental environments may have permanent effects on people's capacities and preferences.
