Reactive devaluation

Biological Parallel

When a rival chimpanzee offers food-sharing, recipients exhibit suspicion disproportionate to actual risk—the offer itself triggers devaluation. Intergroup conflict creates default distrust: concessions from rivals are automatically suspect. This evolved in environments where outgroup generosity often masked deception (Trojan horse strategies). The algorithm: devalue offers from competitors independent of content. Rational evaluation requires overriding deep intergroup bias.