ABSTRACT
One of the problems for evolutionary psychologists is to explain, within a Darwinian framework, why humans provide aid for each other. In this chapter Evolutionary psychologists have introduced the concept of kin selection and inclusive fitness to social psychology to help determine at an ultimate level why we act in prosaically and antisocial ways. Under kin selection theory, individuals can pass on copies of their genes to future generations either directly or indirectly by aiding non-direct kin. Between them the direct and indirect paths to passing on copies of our genes add up to our inclusive fitness. The humans are designed by natural selection to behave nepotistically in order to boost our inclusive fitness. William Hamilton's kin selection can be thought of as natural selection acting at the level of the family. Martin Daly and Margo Wilson, suggests that due to kin selection, stepparents are likely to lavish less attention on stepchildren than on their own biological offspring.
