Kinship

Kin preferences are a major component of social structure among nonhuman primates and humans. Their study provides important insights into the origins of human cooperation and social structure. Maternal kin recognize each other through common, long-term ties with mothers. Paternal kinship recognition is more limited and less well understood. Kin favoritism and incest avoidance are widespread wherever circumstances permit, although precise patterns of kin-related behavior vary widely among and within species. The reproductive benefits of kin favoritism are beginning to be understood better, as are roles and limitations of kin selection as an explanatory framework.