week 5 - altruism

Question 1

what conditions are conducive to reciprocal altruisim?

Answer 1

1. repeated interactions
2. high benefit to recipient relative to the cost to the actor
3. ability to keep tabs on people
   -has to be some value of reciprocal altruism

Question 2

what is the only way that reciprocal altruism evolve?

Answer 2

if you are able to remember and punish the cheaters

Question 3

what brain features would be useful for a species doing reciprocal altruism?

Answer 3

1. excel at remembering faces
   -we remember who has wronged us, and who we have repeated interactions with
2. good at keeping track of those who cheat
3. good consumers of social information
   -keep track of this in order to keep from getting scorned

Question 4

what happens when “r” is really large? in hamiltons rule

Answer 4

inbred species - cooperation becomes extreme
-when r is less than 1 some conflict is likely

Question 5

maladaptive behavior due to mismatch

Answer 5

when you do something for someone that you are never going to see again, and instincts lead us to follow the rule of thumb and help (maladaptive to our envionment)