Human behavioral ecology (HBE) or human evolutionary ecology applies the principles of evolutionary theory and optimization to the study of human behavioral and cultural diversity. HBE examines the adaptive design of traits, behaviors, and life histories of humans in an ecological context. HBE overlaps with evolutionary psychology, human or cultural ecology, and decision theory. One aim of modern human behavioural ecology is to determine how ecological and social factors influence and shape behavioral flexibility within and between human populations. Among other things, HBE attempts to explain variation in human behavior as adaptive solutions to the competing life-history demands of growth, development, reproduction, parental care, and mate acquisition. This article is about biological evolution. ... In mathematics, optimization is the discipline which is concerned with finding the maxima and minima of functions, possibly subject to constraints. ... Human behavio(u)r is the collection of activities performed by human beings and influenced by culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, authority, rapport, hypnosis, persuasion, and/or coercion. ... Cultural diversity is the variety of human cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. ... The eye is an adaptation. ... In biology, a trait or character is a genetically inherited feature of an organism. ... Behavior (U.S.) or behaviour (U.K.) refers to the actions or reactions of an object or organism, usually in relation to the environment. ... Life-history theory explores how an organism makes a living by integrating ontogeny an phylogeny. ... Ecology is the branch of science that studies the distribution and abundance of living organisms, and the interactions between organisms and their environment. ... Evolutionary psychology (abbreviated ev-psych or EP) proposes that animal psychology can be better understood in light of evolution. ... Cultural ecology is ecology including humans. ... Decision theory is an interdisciplinary area of study, related to and of interest to practitioners in mathematics, statistics, economics, philosophy, management and psychology. ... // Latin root meaning The term social is derived from the Latin word socius, which as a noun means an associate, ally, companion, business partner or comrade and in the adjectival form socialis refers to a bond between people (such as marriage) or to their collective or connected existence. ... For other uses, see Reproduction (disambiguation) Reproduction is the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced. ...

See Also

• List of publications on evolution and human behavior

Intro to Evolutionary psychology Buss, D. M. (1995). ...

Further Reading

Borgerhoff Mulder, M. (in press) Human Behavioural Ecology. Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. [1]

Human Behavioral Ecology [2]

Analysing Adaptive Strategies: Human Behavioral Ecology at Twenty-Five [3]