Explain how the kin selection theory of altruism functions.

Answer:

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: In kin selection, an organism is willing to expose itself to danger in order to help others with the same genes survive. Since the genetic material of the individual is most closely shared with relatives, performing helping acts toward those individuals helps ensure that these genes will survive. This is an evolutionary benefit because altruism in individuals helps their genes survive whether the individual does or not. A group composed of more selfish individuals would be at a disadvantage as a group because each individual’s fate would be solely in one’s own hands.