The first glimmers of kin selection theory see glossary were comments made by haldane and fisher that kinship can be important in social actions 1,2 and refs. Altruism and kin selection altruism is a phenomenon in which one individual benefits the other at its own expense. Kin selection theory predicts that animals are more likely to behave altruistically. Kin selection is the key to altruism the foster lab. Hamiltons theory of kin selection is much misunderstood. Jul 25, 2019 kin selection definition is a theory of natural selection which states that a usually altruistic behavior or attribute that lowers the fitness of a particular individual is selected for if it increases the probability of survival and reproduction of related kin who possess some or all of the same genes as the altruistic individual. Kin selection is an important concept within the subjects of genetics and natural selection, and this quizworksheet will help you test your understanding of it as. Nobody has ever or will ever measure the strength of kin selection. In the kin selection world r goes from zero to one, in my world it goes from zero to infinity. Key research on evolutionary psychology and inclusive fitness theory hamiltons rule in kin selection, as they relate to adoption. In many of these colonies, the queen is the only female that reproduces. The evolution of social behavior by kin selection the. However, the haplodiploidy hypothesis is just one application of the broader theory of kin selection.
Theory and recent empirical advances show that energy saving is one important function of flight formations, but some aspects remain poorly understood. The whole purpose of reproduction is to pass on genes to the next generation. The concept of kin selection, also known as inclusive fitness theory, is more than 50 years old and is now widely accepted as a predictably strong evolutionary biological model that explains why people make sacrifices for others. Aug 25, 2010 altruistic behaviour, such as sterile worker ants caring for the offspring of their queen, evolves only between related individuals through what is known as kin selection or so many. Individuals are programmed by their genes to help close kin survive and reproduce.
The hypothesiss fall from grace put the first crack in what has become a giant rift in scientists thinking about inclusive fitness theory and hamiltons rule. Kin selection and altruism in honey bees by bob battaglia. The theory then slowly developed a deeper and more sophisticated approach to partitioning the causes of social evolution. The result is a theory which integrates kin selection and. Kin selection occurs when an animal engages in selfsacrificial behaviour that benefits the genetic fitness of its relatives.
Charles darwin discussed the concept of kin selection in his 1859 book, the origin of species, where he reflected on the puzzle of sterile social insects, such as honey bees, which leave. Kin selection is the evolutionary altruism that selects for those behaviors that. This paper is a comparative analysis of kin selection theory and empathy altruism model, in predicting altruistic behavior. Kin selection in the discussion of natural selection, the emphasis was on how natural selection works on individuals to favor the more fit and disfavor the less fit in a population. Kin selection is a type of natural selection where individuals will sacrifice their own lives in an effort to save closely related organisms. But that changed when hamilton came up with his equation and formalized the theory known as kin selection. On the surface, the theory of kin selection makes a heck of a lot of sense. However, kin selection and group selection are not distinct processes, and the effects of multilevel selection are already accounted for in hamiltons rule, rbc, provided that an expanded definition of r, not requiring hamiltons original assumption of direct genealogical relatedness, is used, as proposed by e. The basics of kin selection theory kin selection theory has its origins in attempt to unlock the puzzle of why some organisms have evolved to help other organisms of the same species. Kin selection and its critics oxford academic journals. Kin selection definition is a theory of natural selection which states that a usually altruistic behavior or attribute that lowers the fitness of a particular individual is selected for if it increases the probability of survival and reproduction of related kin who possess some or all of the same genes as the altruistic individual.
Jan 01, 2004 theory and recent empirical advances show that energy saving is one important function of flight formations, but some aspects remain poorly understood. Altruism can be explained by natural selection nature. Kinselection theory hamiltons genetical theory explains how aid that is selfsacrificing in terms of classical individual fitness, or altruism, can evolve if sufficiently beneficial to relatives. A well known example of kin selection in operation is the study of alarm calls in squirrels by paul sherman 1977. Kin selection theory ks is widely invoked to account for the preferential treatment of kinnepotismin primate societies. Kin selection theory therefore provides a neat explanation of how sterility in the social insects may have evolved by darwinian means. According to the theory of inclusive fitness, parental care for offspring is a special case of kin selection, as it is yet another case of people or animals providing care for closely related kin who carry shared genetic material. The simplest cases are when interacting individuals are more closely related, they should be more likely to. Hl psychology human relationships flashcards quizlet. A kinselection interpretation of insect sociality is given which differs from that of hamilton in not relying on extraordinarily high relatedness among the members of a colony. Second, breeders used kin selection effectively even before it had a name. Sexratio conflicts, kin selection, and the evolution of. Because this idea is so pervasive the role of ks is often unquestioned and optional mechanisms are often ignored.
It is based on the concept of inclusive fitness, which is made up of individual survival and reproduction direct fitness and any impact that an individual. The elusive calculus of insects altruism and kin selection. Hamiltons rule is the mathematical formulation of a key concept underlying kin selection. Kinselection theory, however, can be incorporated into genetic similarity theory rushton, russell, and wells, 1984, 1985. Kin altruism can look like altruistic behaviour whose evolution is driven by kin selection. Hamiltons theory of kin selection is now considered one of. However, the best solution doesnt mean much if it is unattainable. Because kin selection is still the dominant theory in the field, many biologists continue to base their work on its ideas. Adoption, evolution, and kin selection you dont know. Kin selection and the evolutionary theory of aging annual. The closer the relation between the people, the greater the likelihood that help will be given. Kin selection is an instance of inclusive fitness, which combines the number of.
The theory of kin selection describes how natural selection may be separated into direct and indirect components. To evolve by kin selection a genetic trait expressed by one individual actor must affect the genotypic fitness of one or more other individuals who are genetically related to the actor in a nonrandom way at the loci determining the trait. Kin selection is the key to altruism bennington college. A type of behavior is defined as a given costbenefit ratio, cb, in terms of darwinian. The introduction provides an idea of the relevance of altruistic behavior in various areas of study and gives an insight into. Kin selection is a type of natural selection in which an individual attempts to ensure the survival of its own genes by protecting closely related individuals first.
Alturism inclusive fitness hamiltons rule kin selection. Altruistic behaviour, such as sterile worker ants caring for the offspring of their queen, evolves only between related individuals through what is known as kin selection or so many. First, what evidence do social insects provide for kin selection theory. Researchers are increasingly recognizing that social effects influence the evolution of aging. Kin selection is the evolutionary strategy that favours the reproductive success of an organisms relatives, even at a cost to the organisms own survival and reproduction. This theory states that people are more likely to help blood relatives in difficult situations because this increases the odds that their genes will be transmitted to subsequent generations. This article attempts to resolve the problem by linking kin recognition cues to the socialization process. The evolution of altruistic and selfish behavior by kin selection has been analyzed previously by asking which types of behavior are favored by natural selection. May 14, 2002 kin selection theory has thrived in the explanation of a wide variety of biological phenomena, chiefly the evolution of biological altruism as that found in sterile castes of eusocial insects. Large colonies of certain ants, bees and wasps are other popular examples of kin selection at work. Such helping behavior is a puzzle because an organism that helps another will likely incur some reproductive cost, such as a loss. Kinselection theory has thrived in the explanation of a wide variety of biological phenomena, chiefly the evolution of biological altruism as that found in sterile castes of eusocial insects. Kin selected effects on aging have been demonstrated both by models of intergenerational transfers of. This analysis has been challenged, wilson writing that the foundations of the general theory of inclusive fitness based on the theory of kin selection have.
The simplest cases are when interacting individuals are more closely related, they should be more likely to cooperate, show more selfish restraint, and show less aggression. This paper lists and refutes 12 of the commonest misunderstandings, for example. Kin selection and the evolutionary theory of aging. The emphasis was on the survival mortality selection, mating success sexual selection, or family size fecundity selection of individuals. What matters in gene selection,o kin selection is still indirectly driven by sel. Apr 17, 2007 these are surprising statements, given that many authors have emphasized that group selection models are not different from kin selection models 38, and that kin selection theory has been extended to finite populations that can follow very diverse demographic regimes 814. These are surprising statements, given that many authors have emphasized that group selection models are not different from kin selection models 38, and that kin selection theory has been extended to finite populations that can follow very diverse demographic regimes 814. Second, how does kin selection theory account for the evolution of sociality in insects. The interplay between kin selec tion theory and social insects has been complex. Combining theories of animal flight and sociality, we suggest that some of the variation in flight formations has its base in kin selection and reciprocation.
Its limitations have no bearing on either the validity of kin selection theory or the key insight that relatedness can select for altruistic actions 3,5. Much of the way in which it has been tested is based on the existence of conflicts over sexratio production within eusocial colonies. The true power of kin selection theory is its generality. Supported by empirical studies which generally shows preference for helping close blood relativesmathmatical computer simulations demonstrate that kin selection is one of the possible selection processes in evolution together with reciprocity. Kinselected effects on aging have been demonstrated both by models of intergenerational transfers of.
The basic empirical prediction of kin selection theory is that social behavior should correlate with genetic relatedness. Arguments against kin selection how kin selection works. Pdf altruistic cooperation among individuals is a key problem in evolutionary theory, because, intuitively, the competitive nature of evolution would. Kin selection theory hamiltons genetical theory explains how aid that is selfsacrificing in terms of classical individual fitness, or altruism, can evolve if sufficiently beneficial to relatives. Hamilton published his theory of kin selection in 1964, it reshaped how biologists think of animal behavior.
First, its logical soundness is supported by a large body of mathematical theory. If natural selection is designed to weed out traits that lower reproductive success, then how do we explain the existence of altruistic traits that reduce reproductive fitness to zero. Sep 17, 2014 alturism inclusive fitness hamiltons rule kin selection. Kin selection theory provides a framework for analyzing such effects because an individuals longevity and mortality schedule may alter its inclusive fitness via effects on the fitness of relatives. The basics of kin selection theory kin selection theory has. Supported by empirical studies which generally shows preference for helping close blood relativesmathmatical computer simulations demonstrate that kin selection is one of the possible selection processes in. Kin selection, a type of natural selection that considers the role relatives play when evaluating the genetic fitness of a given individual. His theory forced biologists to see family relationships as a critical element of animal behavior. The central explanatory principle of kin selection theory is hamiltons rule, which says that a gene coding for a social behavior will be favored by natural selection if and only if rb c, where b represents the benefit that the behavior confers on the recipient, c represents the cost that it imposes on the actor, and r is the coefficient of.
Kin selection definition of kin selection by merriamwebster. The result is a theory which integrates kin selection and socialization as foundations of human altruism. Combining theories of animal flight and sociality, we suggest that some of the variation in flight formations has its. Kin selection is the evolutionary strategy that favours the reproductive success of an organisms. History and modern usage the theory of kin selection is widely regarded as the most important theoretical development.
If a gene can ensure its own survival by acting so as to bring about the reproduction of a family member in. However, despite neatly showing eusocial colonies as arenas where. Hamiltons rule captures this basic separation, and hence appears to have the same generality and explanatory power as the theory of natural selection itself. However, to fully assess the role of kin selection in primate groups, we need more information about the effects of kinship on the patterning of behavior across the primates and accurate information about paternal kin relationships.
Eusocial behavior in honey bees bob battaglia and sierra wood general background references honey bees apis mellifera are social insects. Pdf an evolutionary and psychological analysis of altruism. Kin selection theory has its origins in attempt to unlock the puzzle of why some organisms have evolved to help other organisms of the same species. I first examine the potential role of some other nepotismgenerating mechanisms by concentrating on the effect of the proximity correlate of. The genetical theory of kin selection natural selection is the part of evolutionary change that results from the. Throngs of sterile female workers handle nearly every other task in the colony, from scouting and collecting food, to building the nest or hive, and raising the young.
Kin selection and social insects university of washington. However, kin selection and group selection are not distinct processes, and the effects of multilevel selection are already accounted for in hamiltons rule, rbc, provided that an expanded definition of r, not requiring hamiltons original assumption of direct genealogical relatedness, is. The initial form of kin selection ascribed cause to costs, bene. T he theory of kin selection recognizes the gene as the acting agent and argues that a certain altruistic gene e. In this article, we ex amine this interplay by focusing on three main questions. It is discussed here in order to clarify the meaning of kin selection and inclusive fitness the total reproductive valve of an individual, both its production of offspring and effects on. The theory of kin selection is one of the foundations of the modern study of social behaviour. This evolutionary puzzle is usually explained by kin selection where close relatives perform altruistic and cooperative acts to help each other and by reciprocity theory i. The genetical theory of kin selection wiley online library. The genetical theory of kin selection natural selection is the part of evolutionary change that results from the differential reproductive success of. However, despite neatly showing eusocial colonies as arenas.
Hamiltons theory of kin selection is now considered one of the foundations of the modern. This fact appears to call into question the view that human altruism is founded on kin selection. Controversy followed because causal analysis inevitably attracts opposing views. Kin selection occurs when an animal behaves in ways that add to the reproduction of its close relatives. The phenomenon occurs in social animals or in closely knit populations, and is considered a paradox of natural selection theory. Pdf constructs a theoretical framework within which various models relating to kin selection can be placed in perspective. Kin selection is an optimality approach, and tells you what the best solution is.
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