Studies of rats and some primates show that rough-and-tumble play among juveniles improves social competence, cognition, and emotional regulation later in life. Most critically, such play makes animals better able to respond to unexpected situations. But not all animals engage in play, and not all animals that play appear to gain these benefits.…

Salivary cortisol was examined in relation to indirect aggression and primary psychopathy (i.e., cold affect and interpersonal manipulation) and secondary psychopathy (i.e., criminal tendencies and erratic lifestyle) in a sample of 154 undergraduate students. Results revealed that although psychopathy and indirect aggression were strongly…

This article proposes an evolutionary model of risky behavior in adolescence and contrasts it with the prevailing developmental psychopathology model. The evolutionary model contends that understanding the evolutionary functions of adolescence is critical to explaining why adolescents engage in risky behavior and that successful intervention…

The LPR and STin2 polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) were combined into haplotypes that, together with quality of maternal parenting, were used to predict initial levels and linear change in children's (N = 138) noncompliance and aggression from age 18-54 months. Quality of mothers' parenting behavior was observed when…

Lethal intergroup conflict has been part of the human experience ever since our species emerged on the African savannah. Modern evolutionary thinking suggests that children's development could have evolved a variety of responses to it, some of which are highlighted upon considering, from the field of behavioural ecology, life-history theory and,…

Evolutionary and biological approaches tend to suggest that social dominance is predominately an aspect of male social organization. Furthermore, when females behave non-normatively, they are less positively evaluated than males engaging in the same behavior. Alternate, less familiar models of females and dominance/aggression underlie the present…

Presents opposing philosophies relating to the nature of aggression in man. One position advocates that human aggression is the product of evolution and is inherited, while the other proposes a cultural pattern model of aggression and uses two empirical tests in an attempt to disprove the genetic model. (JR)

An anthropologist states that man is a product of a unique evolutionary history. (Author)

A three-dimensional theory of frustration-aggression is presented. It is proposed that aggressiveness can be measured by computing the kinetic energy of a response. Aggressiveness is equated with energy state. Experimental and laboratory procedures are outlined. (Author/BEF)

Suggests a course suitable for the general education of all college students using biological topics as a bridge between sciences and humanities. (AL)

Focuses on some apparently evolved features of human adolescence and their possible functions, including the pubertal growth spurt, sexual size dimorphism and bimaturism, the greater aggressiveness of males, heightened concern with one's social standing and the factors affecting it, intergenerational friction, same-sex aggregations and solidarity,…

This paper focuses upon the developmental role of rough and tumble (R&T) play with particular attention to the narratives that children use to underpin such activities. A review of the literature suggests that current early years research and practice pays scant attention to children's outdoor free play activities. A piece of original research is…

The literature on competitive behavior in children is examined. Sections of the review concern the socializing process of competitiveness, evolutionary foundations, early developmental processes, the relationship between competition and aggression, gender differences, competition and cooperation, anthropological perspectives, effects of…

Age related changes in the appearance and behavior of older people which give the appearance of weakness are viewed in ethological and evolutionary perspective. These characteristics are seen as having adaptive value by reducing the probability of being the object of aggressive behavior. (Author)

Studied self- and other-reported characteristics of 1,700 fifth through tenth graders varying in their use of coercive (aggression) and prosocial (cooperative) strategies of resource control. Found that children using both control strategies, labeled Machiavellians, possessed positive and negative characteristics and were socially central, liked…