The Comparative Behavioral Biology Workshop presents: 

Luke Glowacki

Harvard University 

Human Evolutionary Biology 

Collective violence in chimpanzees and humans 

Wednesday, November 4

12pm

Biopsychological Sciences Building 

Seminar Room 122 

ABSTRACT: Lethal coalitionary aggression between groups occurs in several mammalian species, including our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees. While humans and chimpanzees share common patterns of intergroup aggression, including low-risk attacks against outgroups, human violence is characterized by unique features such as increased risk-taking, in-group altruism, sanctions, and peaceful intergroup relationships. I use behavioral data on small-scale warfare from nomadic pastoralists in Ethiopia to explore how cultural institutions, social organization, and individual differences promote participation in intergroup violence in humans. Understanding these processes is relevant for evaluating adaptive explanations for violence, assessing how and why human behavior differs from that of other species, and for determining the sources of variation in intergroup conflict between cultures.  

If you are interested in meeting with this speaker or joining for lunch, please RSVP!