physorg |
"If we want to
understand why men are much more likely to perpetrate crimes than women,
why offending peaks during late adolescence and early adulthood, and
why crime is often related to the experience of social and economic
disadvantage, then we need to consider the selection pressures faced by
our species in ancestral environments," says Dr Durrant.
"Around 90 percent of homicides are perpetrated by males
and most of those are directed against other males. We argue that
humans largely follow a pattern of sexual selection similar to what we
see in other mammalian species." He says this includes males competing
for access to status and resources which in evolutionary terms would
have led to increased reproductive success.
"It is important to recognise, however, that there is nothing
inevitable about male violence—although risk-taking and fighting is one
way that males obtain status, there are alternative routes that separate
us from other mammals, such as demonstrating skills, valuable knowledge
and prosocial behaviour,"
says Dr Durrant. "It would make sense, then, to focus on policies and
programmes that enable males to pursue status through non-violent
means."
Early social environments have a strong impact too, he says. Young
children who are exposed to dangerous and unpredictable environments
will adapt their behaviour rapidly in anticipation of an unsafe future.
"This is a period where individuals will shift their behavioural
strategy to one that involves more risk taking and competition," says Dr
Durrant. "This makes early intervention crucial, in order to shift
individuals along more pro-social pathways."
Although frequent media coverage of crime can tend to make us think
that violent and antisocial behaviours are rife in society, humans are
actually a remarkably cooperative and prosocial species, says Dr
Durrant. This reflects a long evolutionary history of living in small
groups where antisocial behaviour is punished by group members.
