According to Hamilton's rule,
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.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand Hamilton's rule, which is a principle in evolutionary biology that explains when altruistic behavior can evolve through natural selection.
2. Hamilton's rule is expressed mathematically as \( rB > C \), where \( r \) is the genetic relatedness between the altruist and the recipient, \( B \) is the benefit to the recipient, and \( C \) is the cost to the altruist.
3. Analyze each option in the problem statement to determine which one aligns with Hamilton's rule. Focus on the relationship between the benefit to the recipient, the cost to the altruist, and the genetic relatedness.
4. Option b states that natural selection favors altruistic acts when the resulting benefit to the recipient, corrected for relatedness, exceeds the cost to the altruist. This directly corresponds to Hamilton's rule \( rB > C \).
5. Review the other options to ensure they do not align with Hamilton's rule. Option a, c, and d do not accurately reflect the mathematical relationship described by Hamilton's rule.

Key Concepts

Hamilton's Rule

Hamilton's Rule is a principle in evolutionary biology that predicts when altruistic behavior will evolve. It states that natural selection favors altruistic acts if the benefit to the recipient, multiplied by the coefficient of relatedness, exceeds the cost to the altruist. This rule is often summarized by the inequality: rB > C, where r is relatedness, B is the benefit to the recipient, and C is the cost to the altruist.

Altruistic Behavior

Altruistic behavior in biology refers to actions by an individual that benefit another individual at a cost to itself. This behavior is puzzling from an evolutionary perspective because it seems to reduce the altruist's fitness. However, through mechanisms like kin selection, altruism can be advantageous if it increases the survival and reproductive success of related individuals who share genes with the altruist.

Kin Selection

Kin selection is a form of natural selection that considers the role of relatives in the evolution of social behaviors. It suggests that individuals can increase their genetic success through behaviors that help relatives, even at a personal cost. This concept helps explain altruistic behaviors, as aiding relatives can ensure the propagation of shared genes, thus indirectly benefiting the altruist's genetic lineage.