Reciprocity is a hard-wired social rule that makes you want to return what someone gives you. A driver lets you merge in New Jersey traffic, you wave thanks, the next driver does the same. It works in handshakes and highway courtesy alike.
Reciprocity. Reciprocity works like this. It's a core, hardwired concept. The fabric of society depends on this. And how it works is that when someone does something towards you that we reciprocate in kind. If I go up to you right now and I put my hand to shake your hand, you will feel a compulsion to shake my hand back. Why? Because it's reciprocity. It's what's expected of each other. What is given is received back. Here's an example of it. I speak quickly, as you notice, because I'm from New Jersey, and where I live in New Jersey is right outside New York City. We have more traffic flowing through this part of New Jersey, I would argue, than anywhere else in the world. And as I was coming to this event, to get to the airport, I'm pulling my car out and it's bumper to bumper traffic. I mean, bumper to bumper. I look down at my watch. I'm like, I am running a little bit late. As I'm looking down, the guy in front of me, I guess, started to flag me in, but I didn't notice. So what does he do? He starts doing this. And I'm still. I'm like looking down. I finally look up. By this time, he's doing one of these moves. So what do I do? I acknowledge it by giving him this. Thank you, let me in. Reciprocity. He does this. I do this. The guy behind him, obviously he got a little too close to his bumper, does this. So I do this. How often do you laugh when someone's doing this at you? I mean, yeah, Reciprocity. Reciprocity. What is done to you? We reciprocate.
In kind.
