Chapter 11 – Prosocial behavior

Reproductive fittness

The contribution to the gene pool that is made by an individual.

Inclusive fitness

A measure of an individual’s fitness that takes into account his or her own offspring and relatives.

Game theory

The study of cooperation among individuals using simulations of interactions.

Prisoner’s dilemma

A situation where 2 actors must make choices simultaneously without knowing the other’s decision, with outcomes based on mutual cooperation or betrayal.

Tit-for-tat

A strategy in which one cooperates until betrayed, and then betrays until cooperation resumes.

Ultimatum game

A game where one player can give cash to another player who can either accept or reject it, affecting outcomes for both.

Green-beard gene

A gene that allows organisms to recognize fellow carriers of certain genes.

Helping and cooperative breeding

Situations where non-parent individuals assist in raising the offspring of others.

Inter-specific mutualism

A mutual relationship benefiting two different species.

Food sharing

The tendency of cooperative breeders to share food.

Dictator games

Similar to the ultimatum game, but the second player cannot reject the offer.

Inequity aversion

A negative reaction to unequal pay for equal work.

Distress calls

Vocalizations emitted by young mammals when separated from their mothers.

Consolation

The act of bystanders grooming or embracing a victim of aggression.

Empathy

The ability to understand the feelings of others.

Sympathy

Feelings of concern for others stemming from empathy.

Emotional contagion

The phenomenon of matching another individual's emotional state.

Sympathetic concern

A level of empathy where emotional contagion is combined with an understanding of the context and the cause of the other’s distress.

Empathetic perspective-taking

A level of empathy involving understanding others’ needs and experiencing vicarious emotional arousal.

Tragedy of the commons

A situation where the outcomes of cooperation are publicly available, benefiting non-participants.

Oxytocin and prosocial behavior

A hormone that regulates maternal behaviors and facilitates sharing with strangers, promoting kin-like treatment of others.