Abstract
Contrary to its popular image, sociobiology is neither a particular theory of behavior nor a politically defined doctrine on human nature. It is a scientific discipline, defined as the systematic study of the biological basis of all forms of social behavior (including sexual and parental) in organisms, including humans. General sociobiology, covering the facts and theories for all living creatures, can be usefully distinguished from human sociobiology, which addresses the topics, such as language and conscious thought processes, peculiar to human beings.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsFurther reading
Dawkins R (1976): The Selfish Gene. New York: Oxford University Press
Lumsden CJ, Wilson EO (1981): Genes, Mind, and Culture: The Coevolutionary Process. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
Lumsden CJ, Wilson EO (1983): Promethean hire: Reflections on the Origin of Mind. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
Findlay CS, Lumsden CJ (1986): The creative mind: toward an evolutionary theory of discovery and innovation. Journal of Social and Biological Structures (in press).
Wilson EO (1975): Sociohiology: The New Synthesis. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Lumsden, C.J. (1989). Sociobiology. In: Speech and Language. Readings from the Encyclopedia of Neuroscience . Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6774-9_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6774-9_28
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-8176-3400-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-6774-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive