The altruistic behavior of humans to help others, even at the risk of their own lives, is due to a combination of social and cultural factors, including the kin selection hypothesis, which is based on the instinct to spread genes.
In the movie The Maze Runner, the main character Thomas sees injured Minho and Albie and rushes to them just before the maze’s doors close, trapping himself in the maze. As if running away from a terrifying monster wasn’t enough, Thomas shows his righteousness by hiding an unconscious Albie and finally kills the monster. This may seem like a dramatic scene that is far removed from reality, but there are people like Lee Soo-hyun, a South Korean who risked his life to jump onto a subway track in Japan to save passengers. At first glance, altruistic behavior is very costly for the individual. How can we explain altruistic behavior that goes beyond the primal instinct to protect one’s own life? One hypothesis to explain this is the “kin selection hypothesis”.
To understand this, we first need to take a quick look at game theory. Game theory is the mathematical analysis of the rational choices that competing entities make in order to achieve their best interests, taking into account the coping behaviors of their opponents. In many cases, this can lead to a “dilemma” in which a person’s self-interest is at the expense of the group as a whole. For example, when Dutch-paying at a restaurant, ordering the cheapest food is the best way to pay the least amount of money. However, if even one person orders an expensive dish, he or she will end up paying for something he or she didn’t eat, and everyone will end up ordering the expensive dish to avoid losing money. In another example, when a group of residents meet to discuss installing streetlights, everyone wants someone else to pay for them because the dark alleys need to be lit, but they have little to gain from paying for them themselves. In the end, despite the need, the streetlights are not installed.
However, in society, individuals rarely put the whole society in a dilemma in order to pursue their own self-interest. This is because the game is different under the kin selection hypothesis. The kin selection hypothesis starts from the premise that individuals strive to replicate, or spread, their genes. An individual shares 50% of its genes with its children or siblings. If we look at individuals as vessels for genes, then from the perspective of genes, they have an advantage in helping individuals with similar kinship relationships to themselves survive. In other words, if the degree of gene sharing is large enough, the cost of your altruistic behavior may outweigh the additional benefit you receive from your altruistic behavior. This means that it is sometimes in your best interest to perform altruistic acts for individuals who are related to you by blood.
This hypothesis does not explain sacrificial behavior for strangers, but it does explain sacrificial behavior for family members and relatives. It’s especially useful for understanding the behavior of social ants and bees. Worker ants or worker bees get nothing for their work, but they share 75% of their genes with the queen or queen bee. As such, they are dedicated workers and contribute greatly to maintaining the colony.
On the other hand, in human societies, other factors besides the kin selection hypothesis promote altruistic behavior. For example, cultural and social norms, education, and religious beliefs can drive altruistic behavior. These social and cultural backgrounds may explain why people help strangers. In addition, altruistic behavior can help a person gain social prestige or receive positive reviews. This in turn can lead to long-term benefits for the individual, making altruistic behavior a rational choice.
To summarize, individuals try to think about and rationalize the actions of others in order to maximize their own benefit. However, if they are only thinking about their own self-interest, they may not consider the costs and benefits of the group as a whole, which can lead to dilemmas that prevent them from choosing the best option. However, from the perspective of the kin selection hypothesis, it may be in the best interest of parents, children, relatives, etc. who share the same genes to step back and make concessions for their sake. This is because genes prioritize spreading themselves. In human society, there are many other factors that can explain altruistic behavior. A combination of social, cultural, and personal factors make altruistic behavior more than just an instinct, it’s a complex part of human society.
