Abstract

Kin selection occurs when an individual’s behavior affects the fitnesses of others, usually relatives, that will transmit the behavior non-randomly. It is often analyzed with Hamilton’s inclusive-fitness rule. Its key insight is that individuals will evolve to act as if they value effects on their interactants’ fitnesses proportional to the degree of genetic relatedness between them, relatedness being the degree of allele sharing above random expectation. Kin selection is important because it can explain altruistic behavior, such as in workers of the social insects. However, it can also explain selfish behaviors and is important for understanding conflicts between individuals.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEncyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Second Edition
Subtitle of host publicationVolume 1-5
PublisherElsevier
PagesV4-667-V4-673
Volume4
ISBN (Electronic)9780128132524
ISBN (Print)9780128132517
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2019

Keywords

  • Altruism
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Genomic imprinting
  • Green-beard gene
  • Hamilton’s rule
  • Inclusive fitness
  • Kin recognition
  • Kin selection
  • Relatedness
  • Social insects
  • Sociality

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