Chapter 53, Problem 3A

Summary Introduction

To distinguish:

Between reciprocity and kin selection in a field study. Also explain, whether an altruistic act is “costly” to an individual who performs it, in the context of natural selection.

Introduction:

Altruism is an animal behavior that benefits other organism at its own cost. The altruism of an individual will be selected by nature as its sacrificing behavior will lead to an increase in the propagation of its own alleles through kin selection. But altruism is favored only when the benefit gained from the altruistic behavior is more than the fitness cost of the animal showing altruism.