Prosociality and the Military

Abstract

In this paper, I consider a body of observational evidence not commonly studied by social scientists, namely the behavior of men and women (mostly men) in the military. I focus here on three issues: first the behavioral foundations for creating an effective military unit; second, evidence that infantrymen have historically been reluctant to fire on the enemy and how this reluctance has been overcome in the last half century through changes in military training, and third, the modern practice and conventions surrounding the taking of prisoners of war. The evidence in all three of these areas reinforces the appeal of the idea of cognitive modularity, the view that thought and behavior are influenced by different “mental organs.” With respect to behavior, these usually align in the counsel they provide. But not always, and focusing on circumstances where guidance conflicts – Prisoners Dilemmas are examples – offers a route towards building a more coherent behavioral science.