Overview

The biological study of social behaviour has illuminated many aspects of animal and human behaviour and in this book both biologists and social scientists open up new perspectives on the phenomena of conflict, competition, co-operation and violence. Evoluntionary analyses of agonistic and antagonistic behaviour are discussed by an international team of contributers. It includes themes like revolution and ""primitive"" warfare, comparing the more paroxysmal forms of conflict behaviour, i.e. naked violence and destructiveness, with retreat and fleeing behaviour. These studies highlight the complexities and intricacies of the cost-benefit calculus involved in competitive behaviour; this has led to such insights as; that conflict and co-operation are always intertwined; that ""drive"" models of aggression have become obselete; that violent interaction is an evolutionary means, not an end in itself and that it makes sense only in the context of reproductive effort. The result is a book that contributes to the continuing literature in sociobiological studies. Most of the chapters are thoroughly revised and updated papers given at a European Sociobiological Society conference in Jerusalem in 1987, with other equally authoritative contributions added. The book will appeal to a wide range of people interested in the origins of conflict, competition and violence.

Full Product Details

Author:   V. Falger ,  Johan van der Dennen
Publisher:   Chapman and Hall
Imprint:   Chapman and Hall
Edition:   1990 ed.
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   1.480kg
ISBN:  

9780412337703

ISBN 10:   0412337703
Pages:   338
Publication Date:   31 July 1990
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

1. Introduction.- One Conflict and Biology.- 2. Intergroup competition and conflict in animals and man.- 3. Selfish cooperation in social roles.- 4. The biological instability of social equilibria.- Two Sociobiology and Enmity.- 5. The cerebral bridge from family to foe.- 6. The evolutionary foundations of revolution.- 7. Loyalty and aggression in human groups.- 8. Territoriality and threat perceptions in urban humans.- Three ‘Primitive’ Warfare.- 9. Origin and evolution of ‘primitive’ warfare.- 10. The Inuit and the evolution of limited group conflict.- 11. Human nature and the function of war in social evolution.- 12. War and peace in primitive human societies.- 13. Primitive war and the Ethnological Inventory Project.- Four The Conflict about Sociobiology.- 14. The sociobiology of conflict and the conflict about sociobiology.- Author index.

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