A natural history of families / Scott Forbes.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Forbes, Scott, 1958-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Reproduction.

Reproduction--Social aspects.

Families.

Parental behavior in animals.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (249 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton : Princeton University Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Why do baby sharks, hyenas, and pelicans kill their siblings? Why do beetles and mice commit infanticide? Why are twins and birth defects more common in older human mothers? A Natural History of Families concisely examines what behavioral ecologists have discovered about family dynamics and what these insights might tell us about human biology and behavior. Scott Forbes's engaging account describes an uneasy union among family members in which rivalry for resources often has dramatic and even fatal consequences. In nature, parents invest resources and control the allocation of resources among their offspring to perpetuate their genetic lineage. Those families sometimes function as cooperative units, the nepotistic and loving havens we choose to identify with. In the natural world, however, dysfunctional familial behavior is disarmingly commonplace. While explaining why infanticide, fratricide, and other seemingly antisocial behaviors are necessary, Forbes also uncovers several surprising applications to humans. Here the conflict begins in the moments following conception as embryos struggle to wrest control of pregnancy from the mother, and to wring more nourishment from her than she can spare, thus triggering morning sickness, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Mothers, in return, often spontaneously abort embryos with severe genetic defects, allowing for prenatal quality control of offspring. Using a broad sweep of entertaining examples culled from the world of animals and humans, A Natural History of Families is a lively introduction to the behavioral ecology of the family.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1. Blame Parents

Chapter 2. The Optimistic Parent

Chapter 3. Why Parents Play Favorites

Chapter 4. How Parents Play Favorites

Chapter 5. Family Conflict

Chapter 6. Selfishness Unconstrained

Chapter 7. Screening for Offspring Quality

Chapter 8. Why Twins?

Chapter 9. Fatal Sibling Rivalry

Chapter 10. Family Harmony

Chapter 11. Cannibalism and Infanticide

Chapter 12. Brave New Worlds

Chapter 13. Debunking the Family Myth

Selected References

Index

Notes:

"Third printing, and first paperback printing, 2007."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613133342

9781283133340

1283133342

9781400837236

1400837235

OCLC:

730151762