title: Lineage, Sex, and Wealth as Moderators of Kin Investment : Evidence from Inheritances.
abstract: Supporting Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory, archival analyses of inheritance patterns in wills have revealed that people invest more of their estates in kin of closer genetic relatedness. Recent classroom experiments have shown that this genetic relatedness effect is stronger for relatives of direct lineage (children, grandchildren) than for relatives of collateral lineage (siblings, nieces, nephews). In the present research, multilevel modeling of more than 1,000 British Columbian wills revealed a positive effect of genetic relatedness on proportions of estates allocated to relatives. This effect was qualified by an interaction with lineage, such that it was stronger for direct than for collateral relatives. Exploratory analyses of the moderating role of benefactors' sex and estate values showed the genetic relatedness effect was stronger among female and wealthier benefactors. The importance of these moderators to understanding kin investment in modern humans is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 East Daniel Street, Champaign, IL, 61820-6232, USA. gdwebs@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology/CASAA, MSC 03-2220, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-1161, USA.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Organizational Performance and Change, Colorado State University, Denver Center, Denver, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Brandy H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Cohen
keywords: Genetic relatedness; Inclusive fitness; Inheritance; Kin investment; Lineage; Prosocial behavior; Resource allocation; Wills