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Contributions of family social structure to the development of ultrasociality in humans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 June 2016

Benjamin C. Nephew  and
Florent Pittet
Benjamin C. Nephew
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Science, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536. [email protected]@gmail.comhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin_Nephewhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Florent_Pittet
Florent Pittet
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Science, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536. [email protected]@gmail.comhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin_Nephewhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Florent_Pittet
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Abstract

The evolution of ultrasociality in humans may have involved the evolutionarily significant mechanisms that govern family social structure in many animal species. Adverse effects of ultrasociality in humans may be mediated by maladaptive effects of modern civilization on family groups, as many of the effects on both families and societies are especially severe in dense populations made possible by agriculture.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 39 , 2016 , e108
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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