Inclusive Fitness Theory

Inclusive Fitness Theory is an evolutionary concept that explains how an organism's genetic success is not just based on its own reproduction but also on the benefits it provides to relatives who share its genes. Essentially, an individual can increase its overall genetic contribution to future generations by helping family members survive and reproduce. This means that behaviors like altruism, where one individual sacrifices its own interests for the sake of others, can evolve because they indirectly support the propagation of shared genetic material within a family group.