At a debate about evolutionary psychology, you hear someone claim that altruistic behavior could not have evolved through the process of natural selection because altruism is not adaptive and can even decrease an organism's chances of survival
Which of the following is the best response to this claim?
A) Traits that have no genetic or adaptive benefit are often selected for in evolution.
B) Altruism evolved through artificial selection, not natural selection.
C) Processes such as kin selection can explain how altruism can confer a genetic benefit that could be selected for by evolution.
D) This is correct, evolutionary psychology cannot explain altruistic behavior.
Answer: C
Rationale: While altruistic behavior does not appear adaptive at first glance, kin selection predicts that altruistic behavior is most likely to evolve when it confers a genetic benefit to the individual. For example, if a mother sacrifices herself for her child, her altruism raises the chances that her genes will survive—not in her, of course, but in her offspring. This and other concepts help evolutionary psychologists account for altruistic behavior.
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