As I’ll discuss in future posts, criminologists examine behaviors that are illegal but also behaviors that are considered analogous to criminal behavior, such as substance use or risky sexual behaviors, and the lifestyles associated or congruent with engaging in antisocial behaviors. It’s a question we biosocial criminologists often discuss and the frustration has led us to take to the bottle on more than one occasion. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 61, 481-488. But how, you might ask, could nonhuman behavior ever be considered criminal? (Well, one may counter in this context, no animal has ever written a book: ergo, we are smarter than they are. Furthermore, brain size of cetaceans, especially orca and sperm whales, are massive compared to humans; and the regions of higher brain function relatively large. I promise to offer a precise definition of culture that would clearly separate between it and the native abilities of all animals, including human ones, in future posts. Humans also have a curious habit of deciding they are correct if they have a certain accumulation of evidence. This scenario is precisely what was observed in this astonishing and powerful (as well as gruesome, so heads-up) footage of chimpanzees recorded by the BBC: (Despite the violence and gore, note the cooperative behavior at the end of the clip and how it contrasts with the clip above illustrating theft.). It's good to know that fellow-bloggers are paying attention. But it goes without saying that it is not this mechanical ability which has created Hamlet, the theory of evolution, or free markets. The biological perspective tends to stress the importance of nature. Cooperation is also obviously used to survive and reproduce and there is considerable overlap between nonhuman and human animals in their cooperating behaviors (see Mark Bekoff’s posts). Perhaps those vervet monkeys have had to deal with the peer-review process as well?! The study of psychology is very important like other fields of sciences. Fortunately for the male, and unfortunately for the female, the small white wings are hidden and can’t be fully inspected from afar. As pointed out by other Psychology Today contributors, normative behavior for human and nonhumans alike is often of a cooperative or prosocial nature. Key to calling this an antisocial or criminal act is that the ‘offender’ is aware of a risky contravention of social rules — why run away after taking the banana if there isn’t a known violation and risk to the behavior? The early years of psychology were marked by the domination of a succession of different schools of thought. Does that mean that cognitive capacities of the overwhelming majority of people are no different than those of other animals?) Male scorpionflies engage in three different mating strategies in this old-fashioned system. Its impact can be understood in terms of three major areas: 1) It offered a new set of values for approaching an understanding of human nature and the human condition. With such illustrations of extreme steps taken to reproduce, it is not surprising to see rampant examples of what we would clearly label as sexual coercion or rape among nonhuman animals. This means that, had the larynx of the wolf, the chimpanzee, or the dolphin— to name only the best recognized competitors of the so called homo sapiens for the palm of superiority in brain power—been structured and positioned like ours is, they and not we might conceivably be the rulers of the earth today. Essentially, once you accept that humans are a product of nature then explanations based on biology apply to all aspects of the human condition. For instance, I have already noted in a response to an earlier comment, it should not be equated with the ability to learn from others (or the environment, more generally) and transmit such learning. Theoretical Perspectives on Human Nature Humans are basically undisciplined creatures who would commit crime indiscriminately if the constraints of rules and... Human nature must be controlled by society since it is fundamentally “bad” or “antisocial” Example … The matship in this picture illustrates the mating preferred by female scorpionflies: a meal (note insect being offered) and no forced copulation. Alas, how many times those ‘correct beliefs’ turn out to be wrong (ergo, the sun does not revolve around the earth). It is of interest to note that in the examples of rape cited here it’s the males who are less desirable that are engaging in rape as a mating strategy. I’m not sure of a better description of rape than forced copulation upon an unwilling other. Therefore, when females are in close proximity and scrutinizing the quality of the male’s wings the male curves his back to link genitalia and small teeth-like structures on the male’s back trap the female until the male’s back is no longer curved (aka, a gin trap). Additionally, note that the sexually assaultive behavior is not normative but rather a final resort to avoid the incredible costs of genetic oblivion. Evolutionary psychology provides one set of conceptual tools by which this conceptual integration can be made. Both nonhuman and human animals are presented with general overarching adaptive problems: survival and reproduction. Steven Pinker (2014) says I can use “their” here instead of the awkward “his/her” so take it up with him, Internet. Brian submitted a manuscript to a peer-reviewed biology journal arguing for the application of an evolutionary perspective to criminal behavior. In this species, the female mounts the male and the male curves his back upward to link genitalia with the female. In this post, I’d like to dive into that claim with a little more detail. (2002). As with the study of our morphology, evolutionary explanations can help answer such a question. Additionally, researchers have also observed an increased amount of alcohol use among the offspring of excessive drinkers relative to the offspring of social drinkers and monkey teetotalers Palmour et al., 1997). Females will avoid and flee from guys down on their luck who arrive to the party without something for her to munch on. In this instance, it’s the Editor’s theory that only humans behave criminally or engage in antisocial behavior. This additional overlap serves to only further support the application of a biosocial perspective to human behavior. In the video below several monkeys are shown drinking from a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Thornhill, R., & Palmer, C. T. (2001). Experimental manipulation and testing of alternative hypotheses have resulted in the conclusion that “the notal organ is designed for rape: it functions to secure a mating with an unwilling female and to retain her in copulation for the period needed for full insemination” (Thornhill and Palmer, 2000: 64; emphasis added).5  Yet another solid example of criminality in the wild. ), Suicidal Sex: Male Marsupial Mice Die After Endurance Mating, Bonking Without Bones: An Evolutionary Enigma, 2. To address the issue we need to focus on another word the Editor used in their2 rebuke of Brian’s arguments: criminality. For the most part, legal scholars concern themselves with crime: legislation, case law, and the like; criminologists concern themselves with criminality: assessing why individuals differ in their propensity to engage in antisocial behavior. Anyone who reads this is getting more and more stupid as they go on, you should never be allowed to write anything like this again. So how can biological explanations assist in examining criminal behavior? We learned to use fire, we learned to cook our food; we therefore released huge amounts of previously unavailable energy for our use and metabolism. Interestingly, the rates of social drinking, excessive drinking, and abstention from alcohol among these monkeys are eerily similar to those seen in humans. To make the case that because we have a larynx and they don’t ignores the obvious—*we* cannot speak in *their* language because we didn’t happen to evolve the amazing capacity for unparalleled underwater sound making. (I want to thank Dr. Brian Boutwell for allowing me to use the review he received.). But you're probably pretty spectacular in some way, and definitely good enough in most areas of life. However, the excessive and persistent drinking meets the behavioral definition of alcoholism (antisocial behavior). We empirically observe the dramatic difference between these two processes of transmission of ways of life in that animal societies within the same species keep their characteristic form across hundreds and thousands of generations and even when geographically very widespread (like wolves, for example), while human societies are infinitely variable, always reflecting their specific historical period in a specific geographical location. I’d say that rapist intentions and actions would certainly qualify as antisocial behavior. But this is not because they are all naturally less intelligent than we are, or because our emotional capacities are naturally better developed. As a biological species we are not that different from others: apparently, there is only 2% of difference in genetic material between us and some other great apes, such as chimpanzees, and these 2% account for all of our differences--forms of our feet and legs, genitalia, body and facial hair, posture, weight and height, etc., etc.,--so it is unclear how much of this is left to account for the difference between their and our brains, presumably responsible for our superior mental capacities. There are several fundamental assumptions, that are common for all the psychological approaches to criminal behavior. I will continue to read. Biological psychology, for example, tend to focus more on the nature side of the debate. Then, and this is the incredible part, the male will make use of a notal organ that is placed on the female’s wings effectively holding her down and preventing her escape. All the biological conditions for culture, in other words, existed for at least 150 thousand years. There's a sense in which all psychology is evolutionary. But you're probably pretty spectacular in some way, and definitely good enough in most areas of life. 3 dominating disciplines in criminology. By definition, human nature includes the core characteristics (feelings, psychology, behaviors) shared by all people. Experts often differentiate between ‘crime’ and ‘criminality’, where crime refers to an act and criminality refers to the propensity or inclination to engage in criminal or antisocial acts. Some monkeys are social drinkers, some are excessive drinkers (alcoholics), and some avoid alcoholic drinks altogether. Time and energy are also required to generate the yummy gelatinous lump. human nature: a developmental perspective Perhaps one of the most attractive features of Gestalt theory is its attention to the holistic nature of humankind. That’s why some males take the risk of being freakin’ eaten alive by their female partners in order to mate! Let’s look at some examples from the animal kingdom of what I would consider antisocial behavior (i.e., criminality). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 261, 65-71. Developing religions. Much like the sagebrush cricket’s gin trap, the male scorpionfly’s notal organ appears to be designed specifically to aid with rape. Another example of rape in nature is the sagebrush cricket. A natural history of rape: Biological bases of sexual coercion. Personality drives behavior within individuals, because it is the major motivational element. It is clear that we have the ability to use (that is in various ways exploit, kill for food, convenience, or sport, take over the resources they need to survive, impose conditions that turn their lives into torture) other animals, while they do not have the ability to use us. It is in the competition so evident in nature that one finds criminal ... of an evolutionary perspective to criminal behavior. … (Individual human being is considered to be responsible for acts he/she conducted) 2. Although culture could not exist without its organic (biological) conditions, it is not reducible to them: it is an autonomous reality, meaning that it has laws of its own kind and cannot be explained in biological terms. But, if asked to explain this reaction, we would have to resort to the claim of cognitive and emotional superiority again. Since the early 1960s, the field of psychologyhas flourished and continues to grow at a rapi… How is it that social scientists such as Brian and I are able to plainly see that antisocial behavior is not something unique to humans? In several countries around the world (e.g. First, nuptial gift version one: he can provide a dead insect to the female and mount her while she eats. The landscape design professional must aim to resist the urge to collect and quantify design data chronicling the genius loci in order to prescribe formula to be repeated ad nauseam in future work. Human Nature is dedicated to advancing the interdisciplinary investigation of the biological, social, and environmental factors that underlie human behavior.. As in existentialism and phenomenology, genuine knowledge is the expected outcome of what is apparent and evident in … [42] Psych as a Science The nature view links with Psychology as a science because it wants behaviour to be predictable and uses a scientific approach to explain human behaviour. Interesting argument(s), sir. Pinker, S. (2014). Take for example the structure of genitalia in a number of duck species. The thesis in your piece is thoughtful and reasoned, but in this case, it’s critical to note that, in fact, humans are not the only animals with culture. A female mallard (brown head) attempts to avoid the sexually assaultive behaviors of three males (green heads). In the words of evolutionary biologist Olivia Judson (speaking through her sex advice providing persona, Dr. Tatiana), “Scorpionflies have an old-fashioned mating system: he pays for supper, she puts out” (Judson, 2002: 116). Those who take up the nurture side of the debate suggest that it is the environment that plays the greatest role in shaping behavior. Rare is the person who does not have an opinion on what causes crime or what societies should do about crime. Yet, on logical examination, there could possibly be no evidence that the brains of a wolf or a dolphin would not be able to support it, had they been given the chance. The gin trap as a device facilitating coercive mating in sagebrush crickets. I have long been having problems with how vague the notion of culture which we apply to human and other animals is. Then, all of a sudden, culture was there. Notably, experts have concluded — after experimental manipulations of male morphology related to female mating preferences — “the gin trap functions as a device by which males with insufficient hind-wing material are able to force copulations upon females unwilling to accept their spermatophores” (Sakaluk et al, 1995: 65; emphasis added).