Altruism a Genetic Advantage?

So, it's New Year's Day, and just like billions of other people around the world today, I've been reflecting on the past year and the choices I've made. I've also spent some time scanning the pages and pages of genetic studies I've collected on my hard-drive and I re-found an interesting study on altruism, which I've decided to make a theme for today's blog. I wish you all a very Happy New Year, and hope you make the most of time off with family and friends.


Lis


PS My latest newsletter has been designed to help you refine your New Year's Resolution and make the most of 2011.  To find out more click on the link below:
New Years Resolution Tool Kit - Our gift to you, see details: the bucket revolution http://conta.cc/e22Ulr via #constantcontact

Altruism - a Genetic Advantage?

The idea that our genes are selfish and the concept of survival of the fittest as the only genetic imperative, has been seriously questioned by recent studies into genetics and behavior. As more of our so called 'junk DNA' is understood, it appears that this area contains very complex molecular protections, and is also more mutable than long believed. It appears that these junk codes are influenced by triggers from the environment and as such are subject to change.

It seems that when a behaviour offers an adaptive advantage it is encoded and past on through the genes. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that massive amounts of DNA codes lie silently and act as a kind of substrate of potential that can be drawn on under the right conditions. In some cases it seems this substrate can be taken apart and re-combined in new codes, sometimes mimicking codes copied from viruses, or other cell invaders.

The amount of code in the substrate makes up 90% of our genetic material. Each cell in the human body contains about 2 meters of genetic material, with a storage capacity of about 3 gigabytes of information. It has been estimated that the average human adult has 210 trillion bytes of storage capacity, thanks mainly to this junk DNA.

Quantum and molecular biologists are now referring to this junk DNA as the Dark Matter of the genome, because of its volume and potential.  It's almost like an internal 'Akashic Library.'

Psychology and Quantum biology are now forced to overlap, as it seems every behavior has its roots in the domain of our DNA, and is switched on and off by environmental exposure; that is the influence of family and society.

The great thing is the most recent findings show that we are not at the mercy of selfish genes. We have choice when it comes to expressing our behavioral potential, and we have choice in the way we nurture our children and each other to bring out the best in them.

I think this is my favorite part of all this research, because it's increasing our ability to understand ourselves. It also shows us that we are 'co-creators' in the deepest sense. Not in some New Age fluffy throw away line, but at the root of who we are and who the generations to come will choose to be.

Below, I include an interesting study showing why selfishness and survival of the fittest has not always won the day, enjoy!


'Selfless' Genes Attract Mates, Psychologists Find ScienceDaily (Oct. 14, 2010) — There is genetic evidence that selfless or altruistic behaviour may have evolved because it was one of the qualities our ancestors looked for in a mate.

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This is the finding of Dr Tim Phillips and colleagues from the University of Nottingham and Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London whose results were published in the British Journal of Psychology.


The study investigated whether altruistic behaviour evolved as a result of sexual selection. 70 identical and 87 non-identical female twin pairs completed questionnaires relating to their own levels of altruism (e.g. "I have given money to charity") and how desirable they found this in potential mates (e.g. "Once dived into a river to save someone from drowning").

Statistical analysis of their responses revealed that genes influenced variation in both the subjects' preference towards a mate and their own altruistic behaviour -- an indication that sexual selection might be at work.


Interestingly, there was also a genetic correlation between the two. This suggested that, in our evolutionary past, those with a stronger mate preference towards altruistic behaviour mated more frequently with more altruistic people, thus further supporting a link with sexual selection.


Tim explained: "These results are consistent with a link between human altruism towards non-relatives and sexual selection and throws an exciting new light on the puzzle of altruistic behaviour -- which appears, at first sight, to be at odds with evolutionary theory."


"The expansion of the human brain would have greatly increased the cost of raising children so it would have been important for our ancestors to choose mates both willing and able to be good, long-term parents. Displays of altruism could well have provided accurate clues to this and so led to a link between human altruism and sexual selection."

Story Source:
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by British Psychological Society (BPS), via AlphaGalileo.