Friendship and Natural Selection
Study suggest that human can form social ties with those that are neither kin nor mates.
These social ties are connected through genomes
on a polymorphic level, there is a negative and positive correlation
Positive (homophilic)- Increases similarity in relatives to strangers
Negative (heterphillic)- decreases similarity
Overall correlations can be created by using a "friendship score" to predict how well the friendship is.
Examples of systems that correlate genotypes with friendship
olfactory gene
immune system
Evidence supporting in human kin recognition by distinguish friend from stranger base on blind odor test
observation on heterophily on which evidence was found the mates would avoid those with similar HLA haplotypes/
When "opposites attract"
studies have suggested that for a healthy reproductive relationship, the opposing sex will partner with someone that has the opposite immune system.
Functional kin
Friends may form "functional kin" in order to form ties with one another.
Forming friendships under the concept of homophily and those that are genetically similar to one another.
Will choose friends among individuals that are not related to them but resemble them on a genotypic level
Homophillic genotypes present high rates of positive selection, which could lead to synergistic fitness; therefore this will help drive human evolution
positive correlation leads to positive selection which suggests that genes can be modified and gives a person an advantage in their on fitness. This will affect how well they can evolve.