An Explanation of Altruism in Primate Social Behavior essays

An Explanation of Altruism in Primate Social Behavior essays Altruism is one of the most mysterious social behaviors in the world. Altruism is defined as behavior that increases, on average, the reproductive fitness of others at the expense of the fitness of the altruist. Fitness simply means the expected number of offspring. When an organism gives up the advancement of its own fitness for the fitness advancement of another organism in the population, it seems somewhat illogical. However, from the articles Ive read, survival of the fittest and natural selection, in reference to an entire species or population, is often dependent on the altruistic actions of others in a population. Another concept learned from studying journals regarding altruism is that altruistic behavior is far more complex than normally thought. Altruism can be traced throughout the evolution of many species, especially primates. It has been a focal point in the research of many natural scientists, anthropologists and biologists alike. The four articles I chose to analyze and explain altruism in the realm of primate social behavior were A mechanism for social selection and successful altruism, Varieties of altruism - and the common ground between them, The pursuit of human nature in sociobiology and evolutionary sociology, and Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior. These four journals each give a different perspective and different concepts on the behavior known as altruism. A mechanism for social selection and successful altruism was written by Herbert Simon and published in Science, a recognized academic journal. The journal takes a rational approach to analyzing and reasoning the reason for altruism in primate social behavior. It basically says that within the framework of Darwinism and natural selection, with its focus on fitness, it has been hard to account for altruism, behavior that reduces the fitness of the altruist but...