Who helps Tsimane youth?

Eric Schniter, Daniel Cummings, Paul L. Hooper, Jonathan Stieglitz, Benjamin C. Trumble, Hillard Kaplan and Michael Gurven
Additional contact information
Eric Schniter: CSU - California State University [Fullerton], Chapman University
Daniel Cummings: Chapman University
Paul L. Hooper: Chapman University, The University of New Mexico [Albuquerque] - NMC - New Mexico Consortium
Jonathan Stieglitz: TSE-R - Toulouse School of Economics - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - UT - Université de Toulouse - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, IAST - Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse
Benjamin C. Trumble: ASU - Arizona State University [Tempe]
Hillard Kaplan: Chapman University
Michael Gurven: UC Santa Barbara - University of California [Santa Barbara] - UC - University of California

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Abstract: We examine various forms of helping behaviour among Tsimane Amerindians of Bolivia, focusing on the provision of shelter, childcare, food, sickcare, cultural influence and traditional story knowledge. Kin selection theory traditionally explains nepotistic nurturing of youth by closely related kin. However, less attention has been given to understanding the help provided by individuals without close genetic relatedness. To explain who provides various forms of help, we evaluate support for several predictions derived from kin selection theory. Our results show that helpers who are most often closely related and from an older generation tend to provide more costly forms of help to youth at early ages. In contrast, alloparents who are not blood related tend to provide lower-cost forms of help to older youth. Since older youth are more capable of reciprocity, we propose that some alloparental aid acts as an investment in future reciprocal relationships or as indirect investment in a relationship with the beneficiary's relatives. Our results support kin selection and relationship effort explanations for who helps Tsimane youth.

Date: 2024-12-04
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Published in Hunter Gatherer Research, 2024, 9 (3-4), pp.287-322. ⟨10.3828/hgr.2024.27⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04827123

DOI: 10.3828/hgr.2024.27

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