[Campbell Biology P.1210] According to Hamilton's rule, which of the following statements is ... | Practice Question
According to Hamilton's rule, which of the following statements is true?
A: Natural selection does not favor altruistic behavior that causes the death of the altruist.
B: Natural selection favors altruistic acts when the resulting benefit to the recipient, corrected for relatedness, exceeds the cost to the altruist.
C: Natural selection is more likely to favor altruistic behavior that benefits an offspring than altruistic behavior that benefits a sibling.
D: The effects of kin selection are larger than the effects of direct natural selection on individuals.
Explanation
Hamilton's rule, rB > C, states that natural selection favors altruistic behavior if the product of the coefficient of relatedness r between the altruist and the beneficiary and the benefit B to the beneficiary is greater than the cost C to the altruist. This means altruism is favored when the genetic gain for relatives outweighs the personal cost.