8/11/2019 EMLEN Et Al - Science 1996 - Sociobiology's
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Sociobiology's Successes
In a highlighted text box (Random Samples, 19 July, p. 315), the
headline" Sociobiology' to history's dustbin?" is placed over a
photograph ofE. O. Wilson. The "news" is thin: a specialist journal
has changed its name.
Sociobiology was originally envisioned as the comparative,
evolutionarystudy of the biological bases of social behavior,
integrating traditionalethological approaches with new advances in
population biology, behavioralecology, demography, and life history
theory ( ). A few politicallymotivated critics then invented and
promoted a caricature of the field, whichthey criticized as
"sexist," "racist," and "determinist." In response, manyresearchers
did indeed shrink from the label "sociobiology," butsociobiological
research programs (by whatever name) have prospered.
1
One easily forgets, after 20 years, how profoundly the
sociobiologicalsynthesis has transformed the study of animal
behavior and large parts of biological anthropology ( ).
Morerecently, it has influenced research in many other fields,
including botany ( ), reproduction and development ( ),genetics and
molecular biology ( ), neurobiology and psychology ( ), women's
studies and political science ( ),art and philosophy ( ), and
economics and law ( ). Oddly, this vigorous interdisciplinary
research enterpriseremains largely defined in public consciousness
by its detractors rather than by its practitioners.
23 4
5 6 78 9
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA
95616, USA
Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
84112, USA
Department of Anthropology, University of Utah
Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610,
USA
Sarah Blaffer HrdyPeter Rodman
Eric L. Charnov
Jon Seger
Kristen Hawkes
Stephen T. Emlen
Susan A. Foster
Patricia Adair Gowaty
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5/21/03 11:56 AScience -- Blaffer Hrdy et al. 274 (5285):
161c
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8/11/2019 EMLEN Et Al - Science 1996 - Sociobiology's
Successes
2/3
Institute of Ecology and Women's Studies, University of Georgia,
Athens, GA 30602, USA
Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Departments of Anthropology and
Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
94720, USA
Departments of Anthropology and
David Haig
Marc HauserPsychology, Harvard University
Lucia F. Jacobs
Barbara B. SmutsPsychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
MI 48109, USA.
References
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Trends Neurosci. 15 TREE 11The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary
Psychology and the Generation of
Culture The Evolution of Communication
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Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life
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Game Theory
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Soc. Evol. Syst. 18
Sex and Reason
How to Submit a Letter to the Editor
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