Modernizing Evolutionary Anthropology : Introduction to the Special Issue

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Anthropology
• Human Behavioral Ecology
• Societal Change Studies

Background:

• Traditional evolutionary anthropology focused on small-scale societies, which are increasingly rare.
• Modernization, the loss of these societies, necessitates new research approaches.
• Understanding modernization's effects on human behavior and biology is crucial.

Discussion:

• Incorporating modernization into evolutionary anthropology allows testing hypotheses on behavior and biology shifts.
• Modernization offers "natural experiments" due to its piecemeal progression.
• Challenges include reduced variability in fertility and reliance on novel methods like secondary data analysis.

Key Insights:

• Studies on modernization enable explicit hypothesis testing of behavioral and biological changes.
• Modernization provides unique research opportunities through natural experiments.
• Overcoming methodological challenges enhances understanding of human adaptation.

Outlook:

• Integrating modernization enriches evolutionary anthropology by studying diverse societies.
• This research bridges ultimate and proximate explanations for human behavior.
• Future work will yield a more comprehensive understanding of humanity across the societal spectrum.