Definition
Considerable evidence support the basic assumption of Hamilton’s inclusive fitness theory showing that individuals behave altruistically towards kin (see Burnstein 2005. for a review). However, there are several factors, which affect the probability of behaving altruistically toward kin, like reproductive value of the recipient. The “evolutionary logic” behind this bias corresponds with the variability of an individual’s potential to reproduce offspring. The reproductive value of an individual is determined through its current and future reproduction, i.e., its expected summarized contribution to the next generation of the population. Future reproduction (or residual reproductive value) represents the investment of the individual of its own growth and survivorship. It is suggested that higher investment in current reproduction reduces...
References
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Birkas, B. (2016). Helping and Reproductive Value of the Recipient. In: Weekes-Shackelford, V., Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3752-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3752-1
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