Study reveals lethal violence does not track with everyday aggression in primates

A study comparing 100 primate species, including humans, indicates that everyday aggression and lethal violence did not emerge as parts of a single, simple behavioral spectrum.

According to the research, species that frequently engage in fights or exhibit mild aggression are not necessarily more prone to killing rivals. This dissociation suggests that the evolutionary mechanisms underlying routine conflicts differ from those driving extreme acts, such as infanticide and fatal attacks.

The findings also indicate that extreme violence behaviors follow their own evolutionary patterns, independent of milder forms of aggression. This distinction enhances our understanding of how different types of violence may have developed throughout primate evolutionary history.

With information from ScienceDaily.