Hamilton's rule, introduced in the 1960s, says that altruism—helping others at your own expense—can evolve when the benefits to others, multiplied by how closely related they are to you, outweigh the ...

David P. Barash’s “The Ugly Underside of Altruism” (The Review, June 29) shows how evolutionary psychology has recently become more sophisticated. While Barash is more careful than most, his article ...

Altruistic behavior often comes at a personal cost, but there are also benefits. The person you help might return the favor directly—tit-for-tat. Or, people might talk about your good deeds, and ...

Using the example of the Dissernet social movement we will tell you how our actions are related to our genes and why some become crooks while others struggle with ...

Why do we help others, even when it costs us something? This question has fascinated scientists for decades. A new study from the University of Amsterdam offers a breakthrough answer by updating one ...