Study Challenges Notions of Sharing Among Hunter-Gatherers

Experiment with Hadza tribe in Tanzania shows they often kept more resources for themselves rather than sharing equally.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new study by researchers from Washington State University and other institutions used an experimental game to demonstrate that members of the Hadza tribe in Tanzania, a modern hunter-gatherer culture, rarely shared equally with others when given the chance to keep more resources for themselves. In fact, more than 21% of the time, participants took all of the tokens, surprising the researchers given the emphasis on cooperation in hunter-gatherer societies.

Why it matters

The findings challenge the persistent idea that human beings, especially those in hunter-gatherer societies, have an innate tendency toward equal sharing. The study suggests that Hadza sharing is more driven by demands from those who have less and social norms of fairness, rather than intrinsic preferences for equality.

The details

The study, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, was based on a game where Hadza participants were given different amounts of tokens representing food and then allowed to anonymously share tokens or take more for themselves. Researchers conducted the game with 117 Hadza adults at 11 camps across Tanzania in 2019. While the Hadza were not entirely self-interested, they tended to keep or take more for themselves, and were more tolerant of inequality when it benefited them.

  • The study was conducted in 2019 with Hadza participants in Tanzania.
  • The findings were published in the journal PNAS Nexus in February 2026.

The players

Kristopher M. Smith

An assistant professor of anthropology at Washington State University and the lead author of the paper.

Hadza tribe

A modern hunter-gatherer culture in Tanzania that was the focus of the study.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This work's really examining this idea that we have these innate preferences to share with others and have these equal exchanges with one another.”

— Kristopher M. Smith, Assistant Professor of Anthropology (Mirage News)

“The fact that the most common response, whether they had more or less than the other person, was to take everything the other person had was quite surprising, given the emphasis on how cooperative they can be.”

— Kristopher M. Smith, Assistant Professor of Anthropology (Mirage News)

What’s next

Researchers plan to conduct further studies to better understand the factors that influence sharing behaviors in hunter-gatherer societies.

The takeaway

This study challenges the long-held assumption that hunter-gatherers have an innate tendency toward equal sharing, suggesting that their sharing behaviors are more complex and influenced by social norms and demands rather than just intrinsic preferences. It highlights the need for more nuanced understanding of resource distribution in these communities.