The science that applies the principles of evolutionary biology to the study of social behaviour in both humans and animals
the branch of biology that conducts comparative studies of the social organization of animals (including human beings) with regard to its evolutionary history
Systematic study of the biological basis of social behaviour. The concept was popularized by Edward O. Wilson in his Sociobiology (1975) and by Richard Dawkins (b. 1941) in The Selfish Gene (1976). Sociobiology attempts to understand and explain animal (and human) social behaviour in the light of natural selection and other biological processes. A central tenet is that the transmission of genes through successful reproduction is the central motivator in animals' struggle for survival, and that animals will behave in ways that maximize their chances of transmitting their genes to succeeding generations. Though sociobiology has contributed insights into animal behaviour (such as altruism in social insects and male-female differences in certain species), it remains controversial when applied to human social behaviour. See also ethology
{i} study of the structure and development of social organizations in animals (including humans) with a focus on evolutionary history