An evolutionary theory of the family.
@article{Emlen1995AnET,
title={An evolutionary theory of the family.},
author={Stephen T. Emlen},
journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
year={1995},
volume={92 18},
pages={
8092-9
}
}An evolutionary framework for viewing the formation, the stability, the organizational structure, and the social dynamics of biological families is developed. This framework is based upon three conceptual pillars: ecological constraints theory, inclusive fitness theory, and reproductive skew theory. I offer a set of 15 predictions pertaining to living within family groups. The logic of each is discussed, and empirical evidence from family-living vertebrates is summarized. I argue that knowledge…
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