Evolution of altruism in viscous populations: Effects of altruism on the evolution of migrating behavior

Abstract

In the study of the evolution of altruism two possible mechanisms have been distinguished. One is reciprocal altruism, the other is kin selection. This paper focuses on altruism based on kin selection in environments in which there is little migration of individuals (“viscous populations”). Two simulations show that the evolution of evolution-arily stable non-reciprocal altruism is possible in societies with limited dispersal, confirming earlier research [1]. It has been questioned, however, whether these conditions occur in natural situations. This paper demonstrates that if the tendency to migrate is itself represented as a gene controlled by an evolutionary process, a tendency not to migrate evolves among altruists. Thus, the conditions which would allow the evolution of altruism are not merely a matter of coincidence, but are actively selected for, increasing the likelihood that it will be present in natural situations.