What is self-domestication in humans?

Self-domestication is the process of adaptation of wild animals to cohabiting with humans, without direct human selective breeding of the animals. Self-domestication also refers to the evolution of hominids, particularly humans and bonobos, toward collaborative, docile behavior.

What is the self-domestication theory?

The self-domestication hypothesis suggests that, like mammalian domesticates, humans have gone through a process of selection against aggression – a process that in the case of humans was self-induced.

Did humans self domesticate?

A new study—citing genetic evidence from a disorder that in some ways mirrors elements of domestication—suggests modern humans domesticated themselves after they split from their extinct relatives, Neanderthals and Denisovans, approximately 600,000 years ago.

What is domestication in psychology?

Domestication refers to a population of animals or even a species as a whole. Humans have brought these populations under their care for a wide range of reasons: to produce food or valuable commodities (such as wool, cotton, or silk), for help with various types of work, transportation and to enjoy as pets .

Where did the idea of self domestication come from?

The idea of self-domestication was used by early Social Darwinism which, according to psychiatrist Martin Brüne in an article “On human self-domestication”, developed from the idea that humans could perfect themselves biologically.

Is there any genetic evidence of human domestication?

A new University of Barcelona study reveals the first empirical genetic evidence of human self-domestication, a hypothesis that humans have evolved to be friendlier and more cooperative by selecting their companions depending on their behaviour.

How did Ghazanfar contribute to the self domestication hypothesis?

Ghazanfar’s study with marmoset monkeys further substantiated the self-domestication hypothesis, which has also emerged in humans. He proposed that the common denominator, and thus a likely driver and selective pressure of domestication, between both marmosets and humans was cooperative breeding.

What does Richard Wrangham mean by self domestication?

Self-domestication is described by biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham as being in an environment where lessening of aggression was beneficial for survival.