Book List

	Title:When Culture and Biology Collide: Why We Are Stressed, Depressed, and Self-Obsessed Year: 2002 Summary: "Why do we do things that we know are bad for us? Why do we line up to buy greasy fast food that is terrible for our bodies? Why do we take the potentially lethal risk of cosmetic surgery to have a smaller nose, bigger lips, or a less wrinkled face? Why do we risk life and limb in a fit of road rage to seek revenge against someone who merely cut us off in traffic? If these life choices are simply responses to cultural norms and pressures, then why did these particularly self-destructive patterns evolve in place of more sensible ones? In When Culture and Biology Collide, E. O. Smith explores behaviors that are endemic to contemporary Western society, and proposes new ways of understanding and addressing these problems. Our physiology and behavior are the products of thousands of generations of evolutionary history. Every day we play out behaviors that have been part of the human experience for a very long time, yet these behaviors are enacted in an arena that is far different from that in which they evolved. Smith argues that this discordance between behavior and environment sets up conditions in which there can be real conflict between our evolved psychological predispositions and the dictates of culture. Topics such as drug abuse, depression, beauty and self-image, obesity and dieting, stress and violence, ethnic diversity, and welfare are all used as sample case studies. In all of his case studies, Smith emphasizes the importance of not using an evolutionary explanation as an excuse for a particular pattern of behavior. Instead, he seeks to offer a perspective that will help us see ourselves more clearly and that may be useful in developing intelligent solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Smith provides ways of developing strategies for minimizing our self-destructive tendencies." (from the back cover) To Order this book, From Amazon From BN From Powells
	Title: Evolutionary Medicine (Trevathan, Wenda, R. & McKenna, James J. co-editors) Year: 1999 Summary: This volume is the result of two symposia organized in 1993 by E.O. Smith, and James J. McKenna in 1993. "Evolutionary Medicine" was a symposium held at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, and "Anthropology and Evolutionary Medicine" held at the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association in Washington, DC. Evolutionary medicine is an emerging field that recognizes that many contemporary social, psychological, and physical ills are related to incompatibility between lifestyles and environments in which humans currently live and the conditions under which human biology evolved. Unfortunately, much of modern medical practice demonstrates a misunderstanding of the evolution of physical responses to stresses that were faced by our ancestors. This volume is an attempt to explore these topics, to propose ways to reframe questions about diseases and disorders in an evolutionary context, and to suggest new approaches to treatment. Chapters Day, Michael H. - Foreword: Historical Overview Brett, John & Niermeyer, Susan - Is Neonatal Jaundice a Disease or an Adaptive Process? Barr, Ronald G. - Infant Crying Behavior and Colic: An Interpretation in Evolutionary Perspective. McKenna, James, Mosko, Sarah, & Richard, Chris - Breastfeeding and Mother-Infant Cosleeping in Relation to SIDS Prevention. Daniel III, Hal J. - Otitis Media: An Evolutionary Perspective. Hurtado, A. Magdalena, de Hurtado, I. Arenas, Sapien, Robert, Hill, Kim - The Evolutionary Ecology of Childhood Asthma. Worthman, Carol M. - Evolutionary Perspectives on the Onset of Puberty. Erickson, Mark T. - Incest Avoidance: Clinical Implications of the Evolutionary Perspective. Trevathan, Wenda R. - Evolutionary Obstetrics. Barnes, Kathleen C., Armelagos, George J., & Morreale, Steven C. - Darwinian Medicine and the Emergence of Allergy. Ewald, Paul W. - Using Evolution as a Tool for Controlling Infectious Diseases. Ewald, Paul W. - Evolution Control of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Eaton, S. Boyd, Eaton III, S. B., & Konner, Melvin J. - Paleolithic Nutrition Revisited. Anderson, Robert - Human Evolution, Low Back Pain, and Dual-Level Control. Nesse, Randolph - What Darwinian Medicine Offers Psychiatry. Smith, E.O. - Evolution, Substance Abuse, and Addiction. Leidy, Lynnette E. - Menopause in Evolutionary Perspective. Eaton, S. Boyd & Eaton III, S. B. - Breast Cancer in Evolutionary Context. Gerber, Linda M. & Crews, Douglas E. - Evolutionary Perspectives on Chronic Degenerative Diseases. View Introduction To Order this book, From Amazon From BN From Powells
	Title: Primate Ecology and Human Origins: Ecological Influences on Social Organization (co-editor Irwin S. Bernstein) Year: 1979 Summary: This volume arises from the proceedings of a conference on "Ecological Influences on Social Organization: Evolution and Adaptation" held at the European Conference Center of the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research in August 1977. This volume brings together a diverse group of researchers interested in the social organization of nonhuman primates. One of the characteristics of the social organization of nonhuman that has been exceedingly well documented is the variability, both intra as well as interspecifically. This collection of original essays is an attempt to understand the role of ecological variables on the expression of social organization across the Order Primates. Chapters Rowell, T.E. - How Would We Know If Social Organization Were Not Adaptive? Bourlière, F. - Significant Parameters of Environmental Quality for Nonhuman Primates. Altmann, S.A. & Altmann, J. - Demographic Constraints on Behavior and Social Organization. Dunbar, R.I.M. - Population Demography, Social Organization, and Mating Strategies. Baldwin, J.D. & Baldwin, J.I. - The Phylogenetic and Ontogenetic Variables that Shape Behavior and Social Organization. Birdsell, J.B. - Ecological Influences on Australian Aboriginal Social Organization. Suzuki, A. - The Variation and Adaptation of Social Groups of Chimpanzees and Black and White Colobus Monkeys. Coelho, A. M., Bramblett, C.A., & Quick, L. - Activity Patterns in Howler and Spider Monkeys: An Application of Socio-Bioenergetic Methods. Clutton-Brock, T.H. & Harvey, P. - Home Range Size, Population Density and Phylogeny in Primates. Eisenberg, J.F. - Habitat, Economy, and Society: Some Correlations and Hypotheses for Neotropical Primates. Brace, C.L. - Biological Parameters and Pleistocene Hominid Life-Ways. Campbell. B.G. - Ecological Factors and Social Organization in Human Evolution. Nagel, U. - On Describing Primate Groups as Systems: The Concept of Ecosocial Behavior. Bernstein, I.S. & Smith, E.O. - In Summary. View Introduction To Order this book, From Amazon From BN
	Title: Social Play in Primates Year: 1978 Summary: Proceeding of a symposium concerning "Social Play in Primates" held at the 1977 Annual Meeting of the Animal Behavior Society at Pennsylvania State University. Play is ubiquitous among mammals. One variant, social play is commonly seen among many social mammals and primates in particular. This volume is an attempt to assemble a number of different perspectives on the development, expression, importance, and evolutionary basis for social play. Chapters Smith, E.O. - A Historical View of the Study of Play: Statement of the Problem. Bramblett, Claud A. - Sex Differences in the Acquisition of Play Among Juvenile Vervet Monkeys. Loy, James, Loy, Kent, Patterson, Donald, & Conaway, Clinton - The Behavior of Gonadectomized Rhesus Monkeys. I. Play. Smith, E.O. & Fraser, Martin D. - Social Play in Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta): A Cluster Analysis. Maple, Terry & Zucker, Evan - Ethological Studies of Play Behavior in Captive Great Apes. Poirier, Frank E., Bellisari, Anna, & Haines, Linda - Functions of Primate Play. Breuggeman, J.A. - The Function of Adult Play in Free-Ranging Macaca mulatta. Symons, Donald - The Question of Function: Dominance and Play. Baldwin, John D. & Baldwin, Janice I. - Reinforcement Theories of Exploration, Play, Creativity, and Psychosocial Growth. Candland, Douglas, K., French, Jeffrey, A., & Johnson, Carl N. - Object Play: Test of a Categorized Model by the Genesis of Object-Play in Macaca fuscata. Hamer, Karen & Missakian, Elizabeth - A Longitudinal Study of Social Play in Synanon/Peer-Reared Children. View Introduction View Sample Chapter To Order this book, From Amazon From BN