Epigenetic rules in moral development

Distal-proximal approaches to altruism and aggression

Bibliographic Data

ID11106918
AuthorsJ Philippe Rushton (Western University, corresponding author)
Year1988
Volume14
Issue1
Pages35-50
Publication date1988-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAggressive Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0096-140X • E-ISSN: 1098-2337
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/1098-2337(1988)14:1<35::aid-ab2480140106>3.0.co;2-5
OpenAlexW2116741630
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited62

A time continum of levels of explanation is offered ranging from distal, evolutionary analyses, through trait and social learning perspectives, to proximate cognitive and situational accounts. While most research has been carried out from proximal perspectives, this paper considers data from each of the levels and concludes with a theory of moral development based on evolutionarily derived r/K reproductive strategies. When aggression is assessed using aggregate procedures, 1) consistent patterns of individual differences exist, forming part of a broad syndrome of moral behavior; 2) group differences in aggression emerge such that females < males, older < younger, and higher socioeconomic < lower socioeconomic; 3)individual differences are about 50% heritable; 4) epigenetic rules guide social development in one direction over alternatives; and 5) aggression is part of a constellation of reproductive attributes deeply embedded in evolutionary history.

Aggression · Altruism (biology) · Cognition · Developmental psychology · Medical emergency · Moral development · Poison control · Population · Situational ethics · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Trait · Demography · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Medicine · Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology