Albert Somit - Böcker

This book provides a careful examination of the possible influence of birth order on political achievement and behavior. The authors look at American presidents, Supreme Court justices, United States senators and representatives, and the careers of an entire West Point class. For a comparative dimension, they also study British Prime Ministers, U.N. Secretaries General, post-Renaissance popes, leaders of the U.S.S.R., and great generals through the ages. What the authors find is that there is no measurable relationship between birth order (and being first born) and political achievement and behavior. These findings cast considerable doubt on the long standing belief that birth order has an important impact on either achievement or behavior. The authors clarify that very few studies suggesting such a relationship do not stand up under careful scrutiny. This basic conclusion and other curious findings from the study make Birth Order And Political Behavior insightful reading for almost any behavioral scientist. The book will also be relevant to courses in child development, clinical psychology, psychiatry, political science, anthropology, and sociology.

The study of biology and politics examines the linkage between the life sciences (broadly defined) and politics. Among biological areas from which these linkages are drawn include: human ethology; socio-biology; ethology; genetics; evolutionary theory; neurosciences; biotechnology; and, bioethics amongst others. These knowledge arenas are used to illuminate policy choices (biopolicy), political behaviour, leadership behaviour, international politics, and political philosophy, amongst others. Topics covered by this volume include human nature in the theory and practice of modern international relations; decision-making under uncertainty; political culture and AIDS policy; and, emerging political leadership in young adults.

The study of biology and politics examines the linkage between the life sciences (broadly defined) and politics. Among biological areas from which these linkages are drawn include: human ethology; socio-biology; ethology; genetics; evolutionary theory; neurosciences; biotechnology; and, bioethics, amongst others. These knowledge arenas are used to illuminate policy choices (biopolicy), political behaviour, leadership behaviour, international politics, and political philosophy, amongst others.

"Evolutionary Approaches in the Behavioral Sciences" examines perhaps the single most important post-World War II development in the Behavioral Sciences - the emergence of a group of practitioners who advocate 'a more biologically oriented' approach to their discipline's subject matter. This contention directly challenges the basic tenets underlying the long-dominant standard social science model. Advocates of this model believe that human behavior is not meaningfully influenced by our evolutionary background, but is instead learned. Consequently, the possibility that our behavior is genetically influenced is often ignored.The advocates of a 'more biologically oriented' approach are attempting, in effect, an intellectual revolution. Part I of this ground breaking volume examines, discipline by discipline, the history of the evolutionary thrust, leading figures and key literature, the degree of acceptance (or rejection) within each discipline, and the likely future prospects. Part II discusses the biobehavioral approach on a geographic basis, with experts assessing the status of evolutionary behavioral science across a number of countries and regions. The contributing authors are social scientists who have personally played an important role in the developments that they discuss.

This volume examines cutting edge research in the study of biology and politics. Following an introduction from the editors it is divided into two main sections. The first part of the book explores the linkage between evolution, genetics and politics with initial chapters on abandoned baby legislation, a model of action and norms, and the biopolitics of primates. The next four chapters have a special focus on the use of twin studies to study political phenomena and provide a biological critique of twin studies, phenotypic measurement issues and twin studies, a survey of twin studies research, and an example of using twin studies to explore politically relevant behaviour. The second section looks at the relationship of brain science to our understanding of politics. With respect to the applicability of brain science it features chapters summarizing what literature exists as well as how to use neuroimaging techniques to study political behaviour.

Arguing for an evolutionary perspective, this text directly challenges the standard social science model (SSSM) on which public policy has often been based. The SSSM maintains that human behaviour is solely the product of culture and learning. In sharp contrast, the evolutionary model (EM) holds that our behaviour flows from the interaction between learning and culture, on the one hand, and biological factors - especially our evolutionary legacy - on the other. These different approaches to human behaviour understandably lead to divergent conceptions of sound domestic and foreign policy. The SSSM views human behaviour as essentially plastic and thus readily changed by governmental action. Disagreeing, the evolutionary model sees that malleability as seriously limited by our species' evolved propensity for aggression, status seeking, xenophobia, ethnocentrism and hierarchical social structures.

"Biology can inform public policy in a number of ways. This volume explores the linkage of the life sciences with policy (what the book refers to as biopolicy). It features two points of departure: the implications of the neurosciences for public policy; and the implications of evolutionary theory for policy-making. The first part of the book provides an introduction to the subject of biopolicy as well as the relevance of the brain sciences and evolutionary theory for this subject. The second part considers several case studies of how these points of departure inform our knowledge of policy. Among case studies provided here are the implications for distribution of wealth, the roots of foreign policy, violent behavior, policy decision-making, and the like. In the final analysis, this book provides examples of how the life sciences can inform public policy choices. Research in Biopolitics is the only book series that focuses specifically on the relationship between biology and politics, and provides contemporary research for practitioners, including anthropologists, sociologists, economists, biopolitical researchers, as well as students of law and political science.

This volume describes (a) the present academic and institutional status of Biopolitics and (b) the wide range of research areas that have emerged within the field. The Introduction puts into perspective the major differences and similarities between Biopolitics and more traditional approaches to political science in terms of basic concepts, scope, research methodology, and the resulting implications for public policy. The next two chapters focus on the institutions and organizations that have significantly influenced the structure and direction of the "movement." Chapter 4 describes how and why evolutionary theory has had an increasingly influential impact on political science. Chapters 5 through 9 are "case studies" of how biological perspectives have been productively used in several of the discipline's established "fields." Chapter 10 is a measured critical analysis of the enterprise and Chapter 11 looks at where biopolitics as a field might be moving.

Moving away from the long-established paradigm which holds that all political behavior is learned via socialization, this Handbook assesses the contributions of biology to political science, illustrating that behavior is in actual fact shaped by the interplay between learning and biological influences. Describing how a more biologically-oriented approach expands and enriches political science, both conceptually and in terms of its research capabilities, key chapters focus on general biological approaches to politics, biopolitical contributions to mainstream areas within political science, and linkages between biology and public policy. Providing specific examples of how Neo-Darwinism can contribute to more successful public policies, the Handbook further emphasizes the close ties between a realistic understanding of human political behavior and the likelihood that our species successfully resolves the problems that now threaten its welfare. Original and thought-provoking, this Handbook will prove an enriching read for political scientists starting to consider the value of biological factors in influencing political behavior, as well as for behavioural scientists in other areas experiencing the same paradigm shifts. Biologists will also find further grounding for their research into biological and behavioral science.Contributors include: K.Blanchard, Jr., R.H. Blank, D. Boisvert, E. Bucy, K. Butts, P.A. Corning, D. Couvet, A. Fletcher, B.J. Foster, J.M. Friend, A. Friesen, O. Funke, A. Ksiazkiewicz, M. Latner, V. Lemm, L. Liesen, J. Losco, R.D. Masters, A. Mazur, G.R. Murray, W.J. Patzelt, M.B. Petersen, S.A. Peterson, A. Somit, R.H. Sprinkle, P.A. Stewart, B.A. Thayer, J. Vaske, M. Vatter, R.F. White, T.E. Wohlers