Which idea in the kin selection hypothesis is central to explaining altruism as an adaptive behavior?

Inclusive fitness later came to be understood as forming a general basis for kin selection theory, which attempts to interpret altruistic social behaviour in animals through genetic relatedness and benefits and costs associated with altruistic acts.

How is altruism explained?

Altruism is when we act to promote someone else’s welfare, even at a risk or cost to ourselves. This does not mean that humans are more altruistic than selfish; instead, evidence suggests we have deeply ingrained tendencies to act in either direction.

Is kin selection natural selection?

Kin selection is a part of natural selection. Selection normally favors a gene if it increases reproduction, because the offspring share copies of that gene, but a gene can also be favored if it aids other relatives, who also share copies. It is this selection via relatives that is referred to as kin selection.

Why is kin recognition important?

Kin recognition is an adaptive behavior observed in living beings to prevent inbreeding, and increase fitness of populations, individuals and genes. Kin recognition is the key to successful reciprocal altruism, a behavior that increases reproductive success of both organisms involved.

What is kin selection and why is it important?

One explanation is kin selection. Kin selection is a type of natural selection where individuals will sacrifice their own lives in an effort to save closely related organisms; therefore, ensuring the survival of genes that they both share.

What is the difference between kin selection and kin altruism?

Kin selection is the evolutionary strategy that favours the reproductive success of an organism’s relatives, even at a cost to the organism’s own survival and reproduction. Kin altruism can look like altruistic behaviour whose evolution is driven by kin selection. Kin selection is an instance of inclusive fitness,…

What is inclusive fitness in kin selection?

Kin selection theory states that the fitness of A is best measured as inclusive fitness – this reflects the genetic effects of survival and reproduction both on actor A itself, and on the recipients, R1 to Rn, multiplied by the genetic relatedness between actor and recipients. In general, inclusive fitness of actor A can be expressed as

How can kin selection explain the Co-operative behaviour of social insects?

The co-operative behaviour of social insects like the honey bee can be explained by kin selection. Kin selection is the evolutionary strategy that favours the reproductive success of an organism’s relatives, even at a cost to the organism’s own survival and reproduction.