Holiday giving linked to altruistic nature of our ancestors

Researchers found that altruistic nature where high in our ancestors, they gave more gifts to the families who had less food and also had the habit of exchanging gifts and foods between them which were the basis for origin of holiday giving. Michael Gurven, University of California said, "Reciprocity is arguably the foundational basis of cooperation in humans and a core feature of reciprocity is the contingent relationship between acts of giving and receiving among social partners. Contingency is important because it sets the rules for who qualifies as a free-rider or cheater in exchange relations." The results of the study would be published in the February issue of the Journal Current Anthropology.

Source: Eurekalert.