Hamilton’s Rule

What does Hamilton’s Rule Explain?

Hamilton’s Rule explains the conditions under which altruistic behavior evolves in a population based on genetic relatedness, benefit to the recipient, and cost to the altruistic individual.

What is Hamilton’s Equation in Ecology?

Hamilton’s equation in ecology is rB – C > 0 here r is the genetic relatedness, B is the benefit, and C is the cost

What is an Example of the Hamilton Rule?

An example of Hamilton’s Rule is the alarm calls in ground squirrels, where individuals warn others of predators, even at personal risk.

How Does Hamilton’s Rule Apply to Human Behavior?

Hamilton’s Rule can be used to understand various forms of altruistic behavior observed in human societies, such as caregiving, cooperation, and sharing. It underscores the importance of kinship and reciprocal relationships in shaping human social interactions apnd cooperation.

What does Hamilton’s Rule Help us to Predict?

Hamilton’s rule is a central theorem of inclusive fitness (kin selection) theory and predicts that social behaviour evolves under specific combinations of relatedness, benefit and cost.

What is Hamilton’s Rule of Genetic Relatedness?

Hamilton’s rule asserts that a trait is favored by natural selection if the benefit to others, , multiplied by relatedness, exceeds the cost to self.

What is the Importance of Hamilton’s Principle?

The implication of Hamilton’s principle is that the time integral of the total energy that the moving body experiences is a minimum, and the experienced time should be proper time.



Hamilton’s Rule

Hamilton’s rule, also known as Hamilton’s principle, explains how altruistic behaviours evolve by considering the balance between the benefits to relatives and the costs to the individual. Hamilton’s Rule example is seen in altruistic behaviour in animals, where individuals sacrifice themselves to benefit relatives. This concept helps us understand why organisms, like ants and humans, engage in actions that help others even at their own expense.

It’s a key idea in evolutionary biology, shedding light on the emergence of cooperation and selflessness in populations over time. In this article, we will cover the Hamilton rule, formula, kin selection and more.

Table of Content

  • What is Hamilton’s Rule?
  • How to calculate Hamilton’s Rule
  • Hamilton’s rule Example Problems
  • Kin Selection
  • Conclusion: Hamilton’s Rule
  • FAQs on Hamilton’s Rule

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What is Hamilton’s Rule?

Hamilton’s Rules state that organisms adapt to encourage genetic success, not individualized reproductive success. In simple terms, the survival of one’s genes is determined not only by the number of offspring a parent has but also by the reproductive success of near relatives. Hamilton’s Rules helps to understand the presence of family systems in nature....

How to Calculate Hamilton’s Rule

To understand the calculation of Hamilton’s Rule few terms are important like:...

Hamilton’s Rule Example Problems

Example 1:...

Kin Selection

Kin selection, proposed by biologist W.D. Hamilton in the 1960s, explains how altruistic behaviors evolve based on genetic relatedness. The idea is that individuals are more likely to help close relatives because they share some of their genes. By aiding relatives in survival and reproduction, individuals indirectly promote the spread of their own genes to future generations, even if they don’t directly reproduce themselves....

Conclusion – Hamilton’s Rule

Hamilton’s rule provides a useful way to study how altruistic behaviors evolve in living things. By considering how much genetic material individuals share, along with the benefits and costs of being altruistic, we can understand why creatures collaborate and help each other out in nature. This concept is not just for humans—it applies across the animal kingdom, from bugs to mammals. Understanding these ideas helps scientists unlock the secrets of social relationships and plays a role in keeping Earth’s biodiversity thriving....

FAQs on Hamilton’s Rule

What does Hamilton’s Rule Explain?...