Biologie en Sociologie. Argumenten voor een ethologisch gefundeerde sociologie

Samenvatting

The resistance to biological interpretations of human behavior has been detrimental to the development of modern sociology. Biological insights--especially those of ethology--could be used for sociological theory. The development of sociology is considered as a movement away from various kinds of biologism. This antibiologistic attitude was originally conscious & ideologically motivated by the opposition to racism. It has become implicit & accepted in modern sociological theories. Social life is a biological given which includes much more than the innate. Studies of animal societies could be used fruitfully by sociologists (though not without risks). Examples are given of the ways in which ethological findings & insights could contribute to sociology: the biological bases of human bonds; comparison of domination patterns between primate & human societies; human aggression & territoriality; the biological basis of social norms; the biological givenness of several nonverbal modes of communication. Modified HA.