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Group selection, altruism, reinforcement, and throwing in human evolution.

P J Darlington

    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
    |September 11, 1975
    PubMed
    Summary

    Group selection drives altruism through individual sacrifice, not for the group. Responsive-group selection, enhanced by evolutionary reinforcement, is key to altruistic behaviors, especially in humans.

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    Area of Science:

    • Evolutionary biology
    • Behavioral science
    • Anthropology

    Background:

    • Group selection is a mechanism for the evolution of altruism.
    • Altruistic behaviors involve individual sacrifice for others within a group.
    • Vertebrate altruism may not always be strictly altruistic due to potential benefits to the altruist.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To explore different modes of group selection in the evolution of altruism.
    • To investigate the role of evolutionary reinforcement in promoting altruistic behaviors.
    • To examine the significance of throwing in human evolution and cognitive development.

    Main Methods:

    • Theoretical analysis of group selection models (deme-group vs. responsive-group).
    • Examination of evolutionary reinforcement as a selective force.
    • Case study of throwing in human evolution.

    Main Results:

    • Responsive-group selection is more effective for evolving altruism than deme-group selection.
    • Evolutionary reinforcement enhances the selection of advantageous behaviors, including altruism.
    • Throwing played a crucial role in human evolution, favoring skill over brute force and driving cognitive evolution.

    Conclusions:

    • Responsive-group selection, amplified by reinforcement, is a significant driver of altruism, particularly in humans.
    • Evolutionary reinforcement may underlie various human emotions and behaviors, including esthetic appreciation.
    • The evolution of throwing skills contributed to human cognitive advancements and preadapted the brain for complex functions.

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