Inclusive Fitness and Human Family Structure

Abstract

The implications of sociobiology, and especially of “inclusive fitness” or “kin‐selection” theory, to human family structures are explored. Kin‐selection theory provides a model to formulate testable hypotheses predicting cooperation and conflict for categories of kinsmen; it also suggests an alternative way of looking at incest, endogamy, exogamy, rule of descent, and type of marriage in terms of such biological concepts as mating strategies, inclusive fitness, parental investment, and sexual dimorphism and bimaturism. [sociobiology, kin‐selection theory, inclusive fitness, family structure, marriage]