The Controversy Surrounding Sociobiology: Genetic Determinism and Its Implications for Human Behavior and Social Justice

Individuals with genetic variations that increase their chances of survival and reproductive success will thrive at the expense of those with less advantageous genes, as dictated by natural selection. E.O. Wilson, an American biologist and entomologist, published Sociobiology: The New Synthesis in 1975, which aimed to explain animal and human behavior through evolutionary theory and natural selection. Wilson posited that species behave in ways that maximize the likelihood of transmitting their genes to future generations. Among many mammalian species, a mother's instinctive protective behavior aids in the survival and reproduction of her offspring.

The primary focus of sociobiology is on group behavior and instinctive behavior rather than individual behavior. Adaptive behaviors that are inherited in nonhuman animals are widely accepted among evolutionary biologists and remain a topic of active research. E.O. Wilson has posited that genetic influences play an equally if not more significant role in shaping human behavior than cultural factors. As a result, social and environmental factors are limited in their ability to alter human behavior. The application of sociobiology to human behavior has sparked significant controversy and criticism.

Stephen Jay Gould, a popular science writer and paleontologist, was at the forefront of criticism against biologic determinism. Gould and other evolutionary biologists have dismissed the notion that human behavior is predetermined solely by genetic makeup, although they acknowledge that genetics may play a role in behavior. The belief that genetics is an unchangeable factor that dictates an individual's fate can be used to justify social injustices, including racism, sexism, and the entrenchment of those in power. By challenging this belief, critics of biologic determinism hope to prevent the legitimization of authoritarian political policies and other forms of injustice.

According to sociobiology, the snow monkey's natural tendency to protect her offspring is a result of her desire to ensure their survival and reproductive success, thereby promoting the transmission of her genes.

Before the 1980s, sociobiology and behavioral ecology were largely interchangeable terms, with behavioral ecology examining the ecological and evolutionary underpinnings of animal behavior. In order to steer clear of the controversy that arises from attempting to apply theories of animal behavior evolution to human behavior, researchers in this field restrict their investigations to animals and generally refer to themselves as "behavioral ecologists."