Task 4 Darwins biggest problem Flashcards
Altruism
where behaviour effects the reproductive success of the actor negatively but positively for the recipient
Extinction of Altruism
altruist going to extinct because they are disadvantaged as individual relative to their competitors within their group
Mutual-benefit behaviour
Where a behaviour affect the reproductive success of the recipient and the actor in a positive way
Cheating
profits from the work of others while he/she lays back
By-product benefit
benefits to other arise simply as side effect of the benefits of the actor
Direct reciprocity
Individual A helps individual B in some way and individual B returns the help at a later time
o Formula: c< wb where c is the cost of for the actor, b is the benefit of the recipient and w is the probability of the recipient of reciprocating in the future
Indirect reciprocity
it might be advantageous to help people who we have seen helping others.
o More about the reputation
o Formula: C< qb where q is the probability of having right information about the helping behaviour of a person
Kin selection within individuals
E.g. cancer, caused by mutations that lead so less correlation factors and having their own interests (favour their own expansion rather than the bodies fitness)
Ultimate explanations
concerned with why behaviour exists (why is the trait favourable)
o Concerned with the !fitness! consequences of a trait whether it is (or is not) selected
Proximate explanation
How does behaviour works (behaviour generators)
o Concerned with the mechanisms that underlie these traits or behaviour
o Reason could be for example the avoidance of guilt
Proximate and Ultimate explanation
• They are distinct from each other and complementary but you should consider both
• If we wish to offer an ultimate explanation for the existence of some trait, we must make a reference to how that trait contributes to inclusive fitness
• Often proximate mechanisms are used to address issues of ultimate explanations
o E.g. evolution of cooperation explained by proximate mechanisms not suitable
• Because proximate explanations are usually what research is after question of ultimate functionality often not raised
• Because some terms have two different meanings at different levels (e.g. altruism as behaviour & psychological state)
• Because intentional language fosters confusion (intentional language)
Observed by others
• If we are observed by another person we are more likely to act altruistic (Article)
o They had conditions with sound and eye like screens on a pc to generate a feeling of observation. In the non-silent/eye condition participants gave the most money away
Influence of environment
the decision making processed is influenced by many factors arising from our environment
Evolutionary stable strategy
a behavioural policy that, once common in a population, cannot be completed by any other behavioural strategy (Selfishness is such an ESS)
Levels of selection debate
From whom should we expect adaptions to be optimized: the organism, the group the population, or the species?
