Individuals, Relationships and Culture
Links between Ethology and the Social Sciences

This book offers an original way of bridging the gap between what biologists and social scientists have to say about human behaviour.

Robert A. Hinde (Author)

9780521348447, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 5 November 1987

220 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm, 0.33 kg

Both biologists and social scientists have much to say about human behaviour. Yet attempts to combine their approaches to provide a deeper understanding of human nature have not so far been generally successful. First published in 1987, this book offered an original way of bridging the gap between them. The key to bringing the two approaches together is, Professor Hinde suggests, to recognise crucial distinctions between levels of social complexity (individuals, interactions, relationships and groups), whilst at the same time bearing in mind that all are processes in dialectical relations with each other and with the socio-cultural structure of institutions, beliefs, values, norms and so on. Professor Hinde argues that principles derived from ethology are essential for understanding some aspects of behaviour at the lower levels of social complexity, but have severe limitations at higher ones. This innovative approach will interest research workers, lecturers and students of psychology, biology, anthropology and sociology, as well as other readers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the nature of human social behaviour.

Preface
1. The biological perspective
2. The relationships perspective
3. The study of immediate causation - some implications of a relationships approach
4. Development - organism and environment
5. Development - the individual and relationships
6. Universal individual characteristics
7. Interindividual relationships
8. The dialectics with higher levels
9. How far is the concept of adaptedness useful at the higher levels?
Epilogue
Bibliography
Indices.

Subject Areas: Social, group or collective psychology [JMH]