Study Questions for Social Evolution


1. Distinguish between kin altruism (selection) and true altruism. What are the critical conditions for the evolution of true altruism?


2. What is the prisoner's dilemma. A payoff matrix or a discussion of the rewards and punishments involved is essential.


3. What is reciprocal altruism? What conditions favor the evolution of reciprocal altruism based on a consideration of iterated tit-for-tat and the prisoners's dilemma?


4. Describe two biological examples of tit-for-tat, and describe how each example satisifies the critical conditions for altruism listed in number 1.


5. Distinugish between social and eusocial associations. How are naked mole rats similar to eusocial insects? What controls the caste development in ants and bees? What controls caste development in the naked mole rat?