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Altruism refers to behavior that benefits another individual at a cost to oneself. In evolutionary terms, it can still be advantageous if it increases the overall fitness of the species or the individual's genetic relatives.

Kin selection is an evolutionary strategy that favors the reproductive success of an organism's relatives, even at a cost to the organism's own survival and reproduction. This behavior enhances the survival of shared genes.

Hamilton's rule states that altruism is favored by natural selection when the cost to the altruist ($C$) is less than the benefit to the recipient ($B$) multiplied by the coefficient of relatedness ($r$):

The coefficient of relatedness ($r$) is a measure of the proportion of shared genes between two individuals. It influences the likelihood of altruistic behaviors according to Hamilton's rule.

Inclusive fitness combines an individual's direct fitness (personal reproduction) with the indirect fitness (the reproduction of relatives weighted by relatedness). It explains how altruism can evolve.

Reciprocal altruism is the exchange of altruistic acts, where individuals help others with the expectation that they will be helped in return in the future. It's a mechanism that can lead to the evolution of cooperation.

Group selection is the idea that natural selection can act on groups, rather than just individuals, favoring traits beneficial for the survival of the group.

Eusociality is an extreme form of social behavior, characterized by cooperative brood care, overlapping generations within a colony, and division of labor. It is a pinnacle of altruistic behavior and kin selection, particularly in insects like bees and ants.

Parental investment refers to the time and resources that parents devote to raising their offspring, which enhances the offspring's chances of survival, at a cost to the parents' ability to invest in other areas.

The selfish gene theory proposed by Richard Dawkins suggests that the fundamental unit of selection is the gene. It posits that behaviors, including altruism, can evolve if they favor the survival and replication of genes.

Direct fitness is an individual's genetic contribution to the next generation resulting from its own reproduction. This contrasts with indirect fitness, which is derived from supporting the reproduction of relatives.

Mutualism is an interaction between two species in which both parties benefit. While often not considered true altruism, it can lead to cooperative behaviors that have similar evolutionary benefits.

In some social species, punishment mechanisms can evolve to support altruism. Individual members who don't act altruistically may face consequences, which helps maintain cooperation within the group.

Spiteful behavior refers to actions that harm both the actor and the recipient. It's very rare in nature since it is typically maladaptive, but when seen, it often involves some complex social strategies or environmental pressures.

Altruism in humans can be influenced by cultural factors in addition to genetic factors. Cultural evolution and social norms also play a significant role in the prevalence and expression of altruistic behaviors among humans.

Costly signaling theory posits that individuals may exhibit altruism as a way to signal their own fitness to potential mates or other group members. Such signals must be costly to be credible and prevent cheaters from benefiting.

The 'Tragedy of the Commons' is a scenario where individuals acting in their own self-interest deplete shared resources. Altruistic behavior, promoting shared resource conservation, can be viewed as an evolutionary response to this dilemma.