Question

Social behavior between animals where the actor benefits at the expense of the recipient is called ________.

1) mutual benefit

2) selfishness

3) altruism

4) spite

Answer 1

Social behavior where an animal benefits at the recipient's expense is called selfishness, unlike altruistic or mutually beneficial behaviors seen in some species.

Step-by-step explanation:

Social behavior between animals where the actor benefits at the expense of the recipient is called selfishness. This contrasts with altruistic behavior, where one animal's actions benefit another at the expense of the actor's fitness, and mutual benefit, where both the actor and the recipient benefit from the behavior. An example of altruism is seen in monkey species where grooming between unrelated individuals occurs, which can appear as a reciprocal altruism. Such acts have led to discussions about whether terms like 'selfish' and 'altruistic' truly apply to animal behavior, which is mainly driven by instinctual and evolutionary pressures.