Objectif The aim of this proposal is to investigate how evolutionary theory that applies to cooperative birds and mammals can explain the incidence of family living and cooperative breeding in pre-industrial humans. Such theory suggests that (1) families evolve when adverse ecological conditions render offspring dispersal costly and philopatry beneficial, and (2) cooperative breeding evolves when delayers can accrue fitness by helping. Hypotheses will be primarily tested using data from pre-industrial Finns, but will be supplemented with similar data from Canadians and contemporary Dominicans. The data on Finns has been collected on a range of life-history (births, deaths, marriages, dispersal), ecological (weather, climate, harvest yield, famine, war) and social (class) variables for more than 2000 families from five different areas in Finland. The data is restricted to the pre-industrial era (1720-1900) when mortality was high and fertility natural. This project will consequently result in the most comprehensive analyses yet conducted on this subject in humans, and aspects will rival the quality hitherto reserved for a few species of cooperative birds and mammals. It is proposed that powerful techniques of mixed and matrix statistical modelling are used to investigate two main questions: (1) what are the ecological factors that promote family living? and (2) does the presence of potential helpers influence lifetime reproductive success and overall fitness of breeders and the helpers themselves? I predict that families will be more common where and when ecological conditions render dispersal and independent breeding costly and helping beneficial. Finally, I will model what costs of dispersal and benefits of helping are necessary to promote family living in humans. It is envisaged that this study will lead to substantial advances of our understanding of the evolutionary significance of the family in humans, and cooperative breeding in general. Champ scientifique social sciencessociologydemographymortalitysocial sciencessociologydemographyfertilitynatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogy Mots‑clés adaptation cooperative breeding dispersal family living human ecology human evolution Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Thème(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Appel à propositions FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5 Voir d’autres projets de cet appel Régime de financement EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinateur THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Western Bank SHEFFIELD Royaume-Uni Voir sur la carte Liens Site web Opens in new window Coût total Aucune donnée