Question

There has been evolutionary factors that have been suggested to contribute to the prevalence of altruistic behavior in our species. Describe these factors and explain how helping others contributes to our own survival. Include examples of altruistic behavior shown by individuals and institutions in response to the current pandemic.

Answer 1

The Kin Selection explains the evolutionary causes of altruism. From an evolutionary perspective, a key goal for all organisms—including us—is getting our genes into the next generation. Support for this general prediction has been obtained in many studies suggesting that in general we are more likely to help others to whom we are closely related than people to whom we are not related. For example, Burnstein, Crandall, and Kitayama (1994) conducted a series of studies in which participants were asked whom they would choose to help in an emergency. As predicted on the basis of genetic similarity, participants were more likely to say they would help a close relative than either a distant relative or a nonrelative. Furthermore, and consistent with kin selection theory, they were more likely to help young relatives, who have many years of reproductive life ahead of them, than older ones. So, given a choice between a female relative young enough to reproduce and a female relative past menopause, help would go to the younger individual.

Another theory that highlights the role of evolution is the reciprocal altruism theory. This means that individuals have a tendency to help those who have previously helped them. They also expect that if they help someone right now, the individual will help them later. Symbiotic relationships between organisms are example of this phenomena.

In case of the current pandemic, it has been seen that individuals are likely to help those of their own family. More so, hospital beds are being reserved for the youth because they have many years of life ahead of them as compared to the older individuals. Reciprocal altruism is also in play. People can be seen helping their neighbors with the hope that they will receive the same kind of help in case of an emergency.