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(Reference retrieved automatically from SciELO through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The many faces of altruism: selective pressures and human groups

Full text
Author(s):
Lorenzo Baravalle
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Journal article
Source: Scientiae Studia; v. 12, n. 1, p. 97-120, 2014-03-00.
Abstract

In the debate on the units of selection, the controversy about the possibility of genuinely altruistic behavior has a prominent place. By assuming a pluralistic position, some relevant issues on the topic will be discussed in this paper. Firstly, altruism will be conceived as a phenotypic property of biological groups, not just of their members. Secondly, this characterization will be applied to the discussion on the relationship between groups in complex societies, as humans ones. In that context, a model about how altruistic and egoistic behaviors overlap at different levels of social dynamics will be outlined. Finally, a method aimed at determining what kinds of evolutionary forces influence behavior in empirical cases will be suggested. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 10/17862-7 - Cognitive strategies and human evolution
Grantee:Lorenzo Baravalle
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral