Behavior
Reciprocal Altruism
Cooperation between unrelated individuals based on the expectation of future return. Requires repeated interactions, recognition, and memory.
Biological Context
Vampire bats share blood meals with hungry roostmates, expecting reciprocity. Cleaner fish and their clients cooperate repeatedly. Reciprocal altruism is limited to species with the cognitive capacity to track relationships and punish cheaters.
Business Application
Business relationships are often reciprocal altruism: favors exchanged over time. Long-term relationships enable cooperation; short-term or anonymous interactions make reciprocity difficult.