Biology 3466B Lecture : Evolution Notes
Document Summary
Types of social interactions: the type depends on costs and benefits to actor and recipient, and these are measured in terms of fitness. The actor in any social interaction affects the recipient on the action as well as itself. Cooperative is where both recipient and actor benefit. Selfish is where actor benefits and recipient is harmed. Altruistic is where actor is harmed and recipient benefits. Spiteful is where recipient and actor are harmed. The most common interaction in nature is selfish. Organisms should be looking out for their own reproductive fitness. selfish > cooperative > altruistic > spiteful. Altruism results from kin selection and is kind of a selfish form. Examples of altruism: cooperative breeding large group that raises offspring together (ex. seychelles warbler, white-fronted bee-eater). Alarm calling helps colony mates so they can hide from predator, but the one doing the calling is put at risk (black-tailed prairie dogs, belding s ground squirrels).