Altruists want to contribute to the social good but also have incentives to selectively attend to information in order to justify "privately materially" preferred activity choices. Such selective attention can potentially lead to biased information such that altruists end out behaving asocially while incorrectly believing that their behaviour is prosocial. A model is used to investigate the co-evolution of information about the sociality of behaviour and behaviour. Applications consider 1) the environmental problem, media bias and policy, and 2) changes in religious information and market behaviour during the Reformation.
Upon which units does natural selection act? I review of the group selection debate and a propose a resolution based upon a hierarchy of replicators in the domain of hereditary information.
Computer model of evolution of altruism. Considers strategies for cooperation, cooperation with costly punishing of free riders, and free riding, and also "assortative strategies" for grouping.
Selected publications:
Economic Approaches to Understanding Cultural Diversity and Policy in the Cultural Industries, Canada-Ukraine Baltic Economic Management Training Program, 2004.
Instructor's Manual to Accompany Environmental Economics, 2nd Canadian Edition, Field, B.C. Fields, N.D. Olewiler, R.E. Forsdyke, McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 2002.
Academic experience:
Assistant Professor: Dalhousie University (2004- current).
Sessional Instructor: Simon Fraser University, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Kwantlin University College, 1999-2003.
Secondary School Teacher: Taylor's College, Malaysia, (1992-1993) Georges Vanier Secondary, Toronto (1994).
Research Assistant, Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Queen's University (1987-1991).
