More Than Kin and Less Than Kind: the Evolution of Family Conflict.MORE THAN KIN AND LESS THAN KIND: The Evolution of Family Conflict DOUGLAS W. MOCK Competition is prevalent in every aspect of life, from the stock market to the classroom, but sibling rivalry sibling rivalry Psychology The intense, emotional competition among siblings–brothers and/or sisters that pits one against the other to obtain parental affection, approval, attention, and love. See Cain complex. Cf Oy child, Sibling relational problem. is perhaps the best example of humanity's inherently competitive nature. However, just about any expression of conflict among people pales in comparison to that in the animal kingdom. AS Mock shows, storks, pigs, seals, and other creatures give people a run for their money when it comes to competition. Within families at least, people are usually less aggressive and perhaps more shrewd than animals in getting what they want, but all the species Mock examines are competitive when it comes to fulfilling needs and desires. While a young boy may lock his brother in the basement in order to have the television to himself, newly hatched pelican and egret egret (ēgrĕt`), common name for several species of herons of the Old and New Worlds, belonging to the family Ardeidae. Before they were protected by law the birds were nearly exterminated by hunters seeking their beautiful, white, silky chicks routinely kill all their nest mates to secure the most food. Mock summons a theory of animal behavior known as kin selection From the time of antiquity field biologists have observed that some organisms tend to exhibit strategies that favor the reproductive success of their relatives, even at a cost to their own survival and/or reproduction. to make sense of such observations as an animal favoring itself over its family and, conversely con·verse 1 intr.v. con·versed, con·vers·ing, con·vers·es 1. To engage in a spoken exchange of thoughts, ideas, or feelings; talk. See Synonyms at speak. 2. , how families bond and work cooperatively for the good of the group. Mock considers both these aspects of the family dynamic through a wealth of scientific studies and anecdotal evidence anecdotal evidence, n information obtained from personal accounts, examples, and observations. Usually not considered scientifically valid but may indicate areas for further investigation and research. as he redefines the evolutionary limits of selfishness among species. Belknap, 2004, 267 p., b&w photos, hardcover, $27.95. |
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