Recording-2025-02-26T23:24:41.896Z

Grading Overview

• All assignments will be counted except for extra credit.

• Total grades will be calculated, followed by setting a curve for the class.

• Extra credit will be added on top of the total and adjusted grades.

• The median grade for the class is around 85%, with about 20% of students already having A's.

• The curve is unlikely to significantly change grades unless many students perform poorly on the final exam.

Course Content

Chapters Covered

• Drawing content primarily from chapters 7 and 16.

• Chapter 16 is noted to be quite short, likely already covered by students.

• Chapter 7 focus is on the initial pages and the definitions presented therein.

Key Terms

• Terms related to altruism and cooperation will be emphasized, particularly in relation to Himba marriage system and its implications on nonpaternity rates.

Altruism

Definition

• Altruistic Behavior: Helping another individual without guaranteed personal benefits.

  • Example: Donating food to a pantry, aiding unrelated individuals.

Types of Altruism

1. Direct Altruism

   • Involves helping others without immediate personal gain.

   • Example: Donating resources.

2. Mutualism

   • A cooperative behavior where both individuals benefit from the interaction.

   • Lack of detriment in helping each other; both gain from the act.

   • Vulnerable to cheaters who exploit this cooperation without reciprocating.

3. Kin Selection

   • Altruism that benefits closely related individuals to enhance the survival of shared genes.

   • Example: Alarm calls given by vervet monkeys, risking the caller but protecting others in the group.

     • The alarm caller might become an easy target for predators (e.g., eagles), yet provides a safeguard for troop members.

   • Discusses complexities of behaviors, such as grandmothers aiding in child-rearing and their role over having more children.

Evolution of Altruistic Behaviors

Kin Selection Example

• The impact of grandmothers in hunter-gatherer societies avoiding competition for resources by aiding grandchildren rather than having more offspring.

Group Dynamics

Mutualism in Nonhuman Primates

• Intermediate-ranked male baboons teaming up to mate with females, using mutualism to overcome the dominance of higher-ranked males.

• Demonstrates fitness benefits gained by cooperation without significant detriments.

Cheating and Social Norms

• Introduction of social norms to maintain cooperation; includes consequences for cheaters who benefit at others' expense.

• Cheating leads to reputational consequences or direct social punishments (such as scolding or physical intimidation).

Cooperation Evolution Hypotheses

• Exploration of hypotheses regarding the evolution of cooperation, including kin selection principles and group selection theories.

• Debate on validity of group selection in explaining cooperation mechanisms, especially noted towards the end of the associated literature.