Books like The Social Instinct by Nichola Raihani

As influential today as when it was first published, The Selfish Gene has become a classic exposition of evolutionary thought. Professor Dawkins articulates a gene's eye view of evolution - a view giving centre stage to these persistent units of information, and in which organisms can be seen as vehicles for their replication. This imaginative, powerful, and stylistically brilliant work not only brought the insights of Neo-Darwinism to a wide audience, but galvanized the biology community, generating much debate and stimulating whole new areas of research. Forty years later, its insights remain as relevant today as on the day it was published. This 40th anniversary edition includes a new epilogue from the author discussing the continuing relevance of these ideas in evolutionary biology today, as well as the original prefaces and foreword, and extracts from early reviews. Oxford Landmark Science books are 'must-read' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.

"Ancient Society defines three major stages in the cultural and social evolution of mankind. Morgan describes how savages, advancing by definite steps, attained the higher condition of barbarism. He then explores how barbarians, by similar progressive advancement, finally attained civilization. Finally he discusses why other tribes and nations have been left behind in the race of progress. Inventions and discoveries show the similarity of human wants at the same stages of advancement, thus demonstrating the psychic unity of mankind. The idea of property - now an obsession in civilized society - underwent a similar process of growth and development, as did the principles of government. By the "comparative method" of using existing and historical societies as examples of previous stages, the history of human progress could be reconstructed. These parallel lines along the pathways of human progress form the principal subjects of discussion in Ancient Society."--BOOK JACKET.

How are the beliefs and behaviors of people influenced by others? For more than twenty years, Elliot Aronson's The Social Animal has been captivating readers by looking at the answers to this multifaceted question. Presenting the story of modern social psychology as a vivid, engaging narrative, Aronson has provided the most authoritative and accessible introduction to the field available. And by staying close to the real work of social psychologists, he ensures that each new edition incorporates the most important recent research and insights. The result: a classic - venerable yet vibrant. . With this new edition, Aronson updates his examination of the patterns and motives of human behavior. Focusing on classic and contemporary studies on conformity, sexual attraction, politics, race relations, advertising, war, and scientific ethics, he incorporates much new information and understanding, including analyses of the Los Angeles riots, U.S. involvement in Somalia, the controversies over false memory and smokers' rights, and other front-page events. The Social Animal captures the creativity of scientific inquiry into human interaction. It draws readers into the excitement of social psychology while clearly explaining its fundamental principles and applications to everyday life.

"The origins and development of human society are explored and illuminated in this compelling history. The book provides readers with an understanding of the exhibition of humans and the cultures they established, from the first traces of humanity to the creation of early literate societies."--BOOK JACKET. "The author examines how Homo sapiens emerged as the sole-surviving human species and developed into modern humans. He provides a global account of prehistoric life and the roots of modern societies and hereditary ranking, the origins of language, the importance of agriculture, the evolution of tool-making, the development of religion, and the beginnings of war."--BOOK JACKET.

"The Imperial Animal offers a compelling perspective on the controversy over humans and their biology. This now-classic study is about the social bonds that hold us together and the antisocial theories that drive us apart. The authors divulge how the evolutionary past of the species, reflected in genetic codes, determines our present and coerces our future. This book gives us a direct and intimate look at how we see ourselves. It offers insight into our politics, our ways of learning and teaching, reproducing and producing, playing and fighting. The authors assert that the purpose of this book is twofold: to describe what is known about the evolution of human behavior, and then to try to show how the consequences of this evolution affect our behavior today. To do this they draw from numerous disciplines--zoology, biology, history, and primatology, among others. In the new introduction, Tiger and Fox outline then- reasons for originally writing the book as well as the process they used to do their research. The Imperial Animal is a classic work that will continue to be of interest to sociologists, zoologists, biologists, and primatologists."--Provided by publisher.