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Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences pp 1–3Cite as

Sociobiology

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Synonyms

Evolutionary psychology

Definition

Sociobiology is the study of the extent to which natural selection might affect population-level social and cultural norms and behaviors.

Introduction

In 1859, Darwin published his theory of evolution that described how inherited changes in living forms (morphology) and function (physiology) provide either advantages or disadvantages for the reproductive success of individuals. In turn, individual forms and functions affect behaviors that lead to complex social structures and cultures that are, in this sense, inherited.

Since ants do not teach their young ones how to form and maintain social structure, we may justifiably deduce that their social structure is inherited. Out of his study of ants, entomologist Edward O. Wilson conceived the idea that non-insect species might also transfer highly developed social organization and divisions of labor to some degree. To what degree might mammals, including humans, also inherit sociability, social...

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References

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  • Darwin, C. (1859). On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. London: John Murray.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. A.T. Still Research Institute, Mesa, AZ, USA

    James Michael Menke

Authors
  1. James Michael Menke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to James Michael Menke .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Virgil Zeigler-Hill

  2. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Jon Sefcek

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Menke, J.M. (2018). Sociobiology. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1580-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1580-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Sociobiology
    Published:
    15 June 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1580-3

  2. Sociobiology
    Published:
    11 May 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1580-2

  3. Original

    Sociobiology
    Published:
    13 April 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1580-1

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