kin recognition
the ability to detect that another individual is closely related. A variety of cues—visual, auditory, and chemical—have been demonstrated to be effective. In many studies, kin recognition appears to be based on early social experience. That is, individuals recognize those they have interacted with during development but fail to recognize related individuals with whom they have never interacted. However, chimpanzees are able to recognize relationships, such as those between females and their male offspring, simply by observing similarities in photographs, even of chimpanzees they have never seen before. Kin recognition is important for directing support toward kin in kin selection.