Final answer:
Evidence suggests that emotional closeness may explain the effect of genetic relatedness on altruism, as explained by the theory of kin selection, which illustrates how altruistic actions can ensure the survival of shared genetic material.
Step-by-step explanation:
There is evidence that emotional closeness explains the effect of genetic relatedness on altruism. The concept of kin selection, a form of natural selection, describes how behaviors that may put an individual at risk could actually promote the survival of their genes. This happens because helping a close relative increases the likelihood that genetic material shared due to common ancestry will be passed on to future generations. This behavior is evident in many species, where parents and close kin sacrifice for the well-being of their offspring or relatives. In Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, altruistic behaviors are discussed from the perspective of genes, suggesting that the sacrifice of an individual could be beneficial if it supports the survival of identical genes found in relatives.