The three brothers' problem: kin selection with more than one potential helper. 1. The case of immediate help

I. Eshel, U. Motro

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

In situations involving a single relative in distress and several potential helpers, the advantage of leaving the risky job of aiding the relative in need to any of the other potential helpers is quite obvious. Hence, even in Hamilton's condition for altruism in the one-to-one situation is satisfied, it might seem that altruistic behaviour would not evolve if there is more than one potential helper. The evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) of helping behaviour in situations involving several potential helpers and a necessarily instantaneous response are examined here. If Hamilton's condition is met, the ESS is usually a mixed strategy of altruism and selfishness, with a decreasing (yet positive) probability of helping as the number of potential helpers increases. -from Authors

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)550-566
Number of pages17
JournalAmerican Naturalist
Volume132
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1988
Externally publishedYes

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