Epigenetic rules in moral development

Distal-proximal approaches to altruism and aggression

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11106918
AutoresJ Philippe Rushton (Western University, autor de correspondencia)
Año1988
Volumen14
Número1
Páginas35-50
Fecha de publicación1988-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAggressive Behavior (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0096-140X • E-ISSN: 1098-2337
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/1098-2337(1988)14:1<35::aid-ab2480140106>3.0.co;2-5
OpenAlexW2116741630
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas10
Referencias citadas62

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