# sociobiology

> subdiscipline of biology regarding social behavior

**Wikidata**: [Q190553](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190553)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociobiology)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sociobiology

## Summary
Sociobiology is a subdiscipline of biology that studies social behavior, focusing on how biological factors influence social interactions in living organisms. It is part of the broader field of biology and shares connections with related disciplines like cooperative breeding and sociocultural evolution.

## Key Facts
- Sociobiology is a subdiscipline of biology, specifically concerned with social behavior.
- It is part of the broader field of biology, which encompasses the study of living things.
- Key figures in sociobiology include Charles D. Michener, Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, Anne Innis Dagg, Marcel Otte, Edward O. Wilson, Richard Lewontin, William Irwin Thompson, and W. D. Hamilton.
- The journal *Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology* was founded in 1976 and is associated with the field.
- Sociobiology is classified as an academic discipline, along with other fields of study.
- Notable contributors to sociobiology include entomologists, ethologists, anthropologists, zoologists, and evolutionary biologists.

## FAQs
**What is the relationship between sociobiology and biology?**
Sociobiology is a specialized subdiscipline of biology that focuses on social behavior, while biology as a whole studies living organisms in general.

**Who are the key figures in sociobiology?**
Key figures include Charles D. Michener, Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, Anne Innis Dagg, Marcel Otte, Edward O. Wilson, Richard Lewontin, William Irwin Thompson, and W. D. Hamilton.

**What journal is associated with sociobiology?**
The journal *Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology* was founded in 1976 and is closely related to the field.

**How does sociobiology differ from other social sciences?**
Sociobiology is a biological approach to social behavior, distinct from sociocultural evolution, which focuses on societal development.

## Why It Matters
Sociobiology provides a biological framework for understanding social behavior, offering insights into how evolutionary pressures shape cooperative and competitive behaviors in organisms. By studying social behavior through a biological lens, sociobiology contributes to broader fields of biology, anthropology, and ecology. Its interdisciplinary approach helps explain complex social phenomena, from cooperative breeding in animals to human social structures.

## Notable For
- Being a specialized branch of biology focused on social behavior.
- Contributing to the understanding of cooperative breeding and social systems.
- Influencing sociocultural evolution through biological perspectives.
- Associated with key figures such as Edward O. Wilson and W. D. Hamilton.
- Publishing research in the journal *Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology* since 1976.

## Body
### Overview
Sociobiology is a subdiscipline of biology that examines social behavior, exploring how biological factors influence social interactions in living organisms. It is part of the broader field of biology, which includes the study of living things, and is closely related to disciplines such as cooperative breeding and sociocultural evolution.

### Key Figures
Notable contributors to sociobiology include:
- **Charles D. Michener**, an American entomologist.
- **Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt**, an Austrian ethologist.
- **Sarah Blaffer Hrdy**, an American anthropologist and primatologist.
- **Anne Innis Dagg**, a Canadian zoologist.
- **Marcel Otte**, a Belgian prehistorian.
- **Edward O. Wilson**, an American biologist.
- **Richard Lewontin**, an American evolutionary biologist.
- **William Irwin Thompson**, an American poet and social critic.
- **W. D. Hamilton**, a British evolutionary biologist.

### Related Disciplines
Sociobiology is connected to several academic disciplines, including:
- **Biology**, the scientific study of living things.
- **Cooperative breeding**, a social system in which multiple individuals collaborate to raise offspring.
- **Sociocultural evolution**, the evolution of societies over time.

### Publications
The journal *Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology* has been a key publication in the field since its founding in 1976. It serves as a platform for research in behavioral ecology and sociobiology.

### Significance
Sociobiology plays a crucial role in understanding social behavior by integrating biological principles with social science. Its contributions extend to fields such as anthropology, ecology, and evolutionary biology, providing a framework for analyzing complex social interactions.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Nuovo soggettario
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
5. UMLS 2023
6. 21 seiki no dotoku
7. Quora
8. National Library of Israel
9. KBpedia
10. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)