# The dual-process approach to human sociality: Meta-analytic evidence for a theory of internalized heuristics for self-preservation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.09948 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1906.09948/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 24 Jun 2019.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Epistemological Fault Lines Between Human and Artificial Intelligence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.19466/) (2025)
- [Language-based game theory in the age of artificial intelligence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.08944/) (2024)
- [Surprising gender biases in GPT](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.06003/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Which social decisions are influenced by intuitive processes? Which by deliberative processes? The dual-process approach to human sociality has emerged in the last decades as a vibrant and exciting area of research. Yet, a perspective that integrates empirical and theoretical work is lacking. This review and meta-analysis synthesizes the existing literature on the cognitive basis of cooperation, altruism, truth-telling, positive and negative reciprocity, and deontology, and develops a framework that organizes the experimental regularities. The meta-analytic results suggest that intuition favours a set of heuristics that are related to the instinct for self-preservation: people avoid being harmed, avoid harming others (especially when there is a risk of harm to themselves), and are averse to disadvantageous inequalities. Finally, this paper highlights some key research questions to further advance our understanding of the cognitive foundations of human sociality.