Evolution and Murder

Question 1

+ Daly and Wilson (meta-analysis)

Answer 1

Daly and Wilson conducted a meta-analysis on 8 studies of same-sex killings involving love triangles and found that 92% were male on male and only 8% were female on female

Question 2

+ Daly and Wilson (men in their 20s)

Answer 2

Daly and Wilson found that men were most likely to commit murder in their 20s when they were in their peak years of reproductive competition

Question 3

+ Murder in lions and cheetahs

Answer 3

Studies on lions and cheetahs have recorded males killing other males in order to bring about the mother’s ovulation sooner

Question 4

• Buss and Shackelford (cultural differences)

Answer 4

Buss and Shackelford point out that evolution cannot explain why some cultures require violence to attain social status, whereas in others it leads to the opposite outcome of irreparable reputational damage