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What coefficient reflects the average genetic relatedness between cousins?
Which type of family includes two or more relatives of the same sex potentially reproducing?
What term is used for a family structure where both a mother and father share parenting responsibilities?
How does paternal uncertainty affect genetic relatedness in kin-altruism among cousins?
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What is a notable cost associated with remaining in a parental nest for offspring?
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What proportion of avian and mammalian species are known to form families?
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What type of family occurs primarily in the absence of a breeding male?
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What factor is NOT mentioned as a cost associated with living at home for offspring?
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What is a key factor that leads to the emergence of families according to the Ecological Constraints Model?
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According to the Familial Benefit Model, why do families form?
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What might the high cost of delayed reproduction be minimized by, in the context of the Ecological Constraints Model?
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What is one rationale behind Emlen's prediction that families form during resource shortages?
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How do families enhance the competitive ability of offspring, according to the Familial Benefit Model?
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What aspect of genetics is emphasized in the Familial Benefit Model?
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What challenge do parents face in extended families as per the content provided?
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What is a consequence of parents actively suppressing the reproduction of their offspring?
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What does the Hamilton Rule propose about altruism?
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Which scenario best illustrates the application of inclusive fitness theory?
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In the example of saving family members, how does genetic relatedness (r) influence altruistic behavior?
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What factor is cited as a reason for why maternal grandfathers may invest more than paternal grandmothers?
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According to inclusive fitness theory, what does 'B' represent in the equation rB > C?
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What is the primary implication of altruism in kin relationships?
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What role does uncertainty about kinship play in grandparental investment?
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Which statement summarizes the consequence of the Hamilton Rule in kinship dynamics?
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What happens to sexually mature children who are not in a reproductive vacancy?
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Which family configuration increases the chance that children might inherit parental resources?
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What role might older siblings play in families according to the content?
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When a breeder is lost in a family, what occurs among the remaining family members?
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What effect does an unrelated breeder have when replacing an existing breeder?
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What is the proposed modification to the theory regarding family cohesion?
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According to the critique on family theory, what motivates family cohesion?
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What might indicate a conflict in family dynamics after a parental loss?
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What was the only significant predictor of costly help for step-siblings?
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Which kinship group had co-residence duration explained the highest variance in costly help?
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What relationship did expectancy mediate?
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What behavior was noted when the cost of helping is low?
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Which factor did not significantly predict willingness to help full siblings?
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In familial helping preferences, who were helped the least willingly?
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What was indicated about kin and friends' self-concept according to the study?
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What unique contribution does genetic relatedness provide according to the findings?
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Study Notes
Inclusive Fitness Theory
- Altruism involves behaviors that incur a cost to oneself for the benefit of others, measured in reproductive success.
- Hamilton's Rule states altruism is favored when rB > C.
- r: proportion of shared genes, B: fitness benefits, C: fitness costs.
- Example: An individual is more likely to sacrifice for three siblings (rB > C = (0.5)(3) > 1) than one.
Grandparental Investment
- Maternal grandfathers tend to invest more than paternal grandmothers due to more secure genetic links.
- Paternal grandmothers have less incentive to invest in their son’s offspring due to potential paternal uncertainty.
Cousins and Genetic Relatedness
- On average, cousins share a genetic relatedness coefficient of 0.125.
- Greater willingness to help cousins with higher probable genetic relatedness, such as maternal cousins, compared to paternal ones.
Definition of Family in Evolutionary Sciences
- Simple family: consists of a single parent or conjugal pair with one reproductive female.
- Extended family: includes multiple same-sex relatives capable of reproduction.
- Biparental families have both a mother and a father involved in parenting, while matrilineal families have the female leading caregiving.
Rarity of Family Structures
- Only 3% of avian and mammalian species form families.
- Challenges include delayed reproduction and intensified resource competition in family settings.
Evolutionary Models of Families
- Ecological Constraints Model: Families arise from limited reproductive vacancies in the environment.
- Familial Benefit Model: Families exist to improve survival and reproduction through mutual aid and protection.
Emlen’s Theory of the Family
- Families form during reproductive shortages and disband when opportunities arise.
- Resource-rich families are more stable; competition for resources affects family dynamics.
- Kin assistance in child-rearing is more common in family setups than among non-relatives.
- Family changes following the loss of a breeder can cause conflict over resource inheritance.
Critique of the Theory of the Family
- Human families might maintain cohesion due to competition from external kin-based groups.
- Emotional ties are significant in step-sibling dynamics, influencing the likelihood of costly help.
The Kinship Premium
- People generally prefer aiding kin over non-kin, despite self-concept similarities with friends.
- Cost of help influences decisions — low-cost assistance is often extended to friends, while high-cost help favors kin due to the impossibility of reciprocation after self-sacrifice.
Integration of Findings
- Genetic relatedness is a crucial factor in altruism, independent of emotional closeness.
- Cohabitation history significantly impacts the willingness to help children, with greater help given to full and half-siblings than to those without cohabitation experience.
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Description
This quiz focuses on the concepts of kinship and altruism within the framework of evolutionary psychology. It examines the principles of Inclusive Fitness Theory and the Hamilton Rule to understand how altruistic behavior can be favored by natural selection. Test your knowledge on how these theories relate to reproductive success and social behaviors.
