Why Sex Matters: A Darwinian Look at Human Behavior - Revised Edition - Softcover

Low, Bobbi S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 069116388X ISBN 13: 9780691163888

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2015

Synopsis

Why are men, like other primate males, usually the aggressors and risk takers? Why do women typically have fewer sexual partners? In Why Sex Matters, Bobbi Low ranges from ancient Rome to modern America, from the Amazon to the Arctic, and from single-celled organisms to international politics, to show that these and many other questions about human behavior largely come down to evolution and sex. More precisely, as she shows in this uniquely comprehensive and accessible survey of behavioral and evolutionary ecology, they come down to the basic principle that all organisms evolved to maximize their reproductive success and seek resources to do so, but that sometimes cooperation and collaboration are the most effective ways to succeed.

This newly revised edition has been thoroughly updated to include the latest research and reflect exciting changes in the field, including how our evolutionary past continues to affect our ecological present.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

"Essential reading for all scholars interested in the human dimensions of global change. . . . Low shows our good side and our bad side. She gives us a realistic understanding of what drives humans, and what may enable us to achieve better outcomes in the future. A must read for everyone interested in people and the planet."--Elinor Ostrom, Indiana University

"This is human sociobiology done right."--Henry S. Horn, Princeton University

"Sex differences, ecology, conservation, war, and other social dilemmas are topics of perennial interest to everyone. Here is a book that touches on them all.... The breadth of Low's expertise is remarkable."--Margo Wilson, McMaster University

"This is an excellent book. There is no other single volume that covers the broad question of what evolution can tell us about human nature, human behavior, and culture."--William Irons, Northwestern University

About the Author

Bobbi S. Low is professor of conservation ecology at the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan, where she is also a faculty associate at several centers within the Institute for Social Research. She is coauthor of An Introduction to Methods and Models in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, among other books, and is the recipient of undergraduate and graduate teaching awards.

Edition details

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 069116388X
• ISBN 13: 9780691163888
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 432