Altruism

A tendency to help others, ostensibly without an expectation of any future reciprocation or gain – unselfish behaviour which on occasion may even be detrimental to the “Good Samaritan”, but which elevates, benefits, or places the welfare, happiness, or interests of another or others above one’s own.

Such actions seemed at one time puzzling in relation to evolutionary biology, however, there are five Darwinian reasons which comprise a solution:

1.       Kin altruism

2.       Reciprocal altruism

3.       Reputational altruism

4.       Altruistic authenticity

and

5.       Genetic rule “misfiring”

Until a very short time ago in evolutionary terms – some ten thousand years’ – humans lived in small, stable bands (of around fifteen or so). Most of one’s group would have been close relatives: conditions conducive to altruistic behaviour – genes which influence organisms to favour their genetic kin are statistically likely to find their way into subsequent generations (Kin altruism). Further, in this nomadic way of life its likely that members of the group would meet various individuals from other small bands over and over again – offering many opportunities for beneficial co-operation of the “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” kind (Reciprocal altruism). Separate from these, by showing kindness and generosity over time a ‘gift-giver’ would be liable to acquire a reputation for kindness and generosity (Reputational altruism). Related to the previous point, the way that such apparently selfless behaviour would be “authenticated” by others would be as a measure of the costs incurred to the actor. Real costs incurred over time for these acts of kindness would serve to show that the kindnesses are not fake and so, for example, would increase the chances of that individual finding a mate and reproducing (Altruistic authenticity).

And finally, Natural Selection favours heuristics: “rules of thumb” which make it more likely that genes assisted by the “rules of thumb” will be propagated into subsequent generations. But by the nature of such devices “misfirings” will occur. For example, cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds which will usually feed and tend to these interlopers, even at the expense of the host’s own offspring. Think of the host birds as following a genetic rule of the kind: “look after small squawking things in your nest – deposit food into their gaping mouths”. The host species’ care of the cuckoo progeny may be seen as a “misfiring” of the genetic rule. Until very recently having lived this nomadic, hunter-gatherer life in close proximity to a small group of mostly close relatives with periodic, recurring contact with a modest number of fellows from similar bands, human altruistic behaviour was both normal and beneficial. These lifestyle and environmental restrictions which existed about who and in what circumstances we would help, and their relationship to us, have largely disappeared, but the “rules of thumb” remain – what might be considered a noble evolutionary ‘mistake’ (Genetic rule “misfiring”).

(see also: behaviour, cue)