The evolutive dimension of conflict resolution: contributions from behavioral sciences and the analysis of animal behavior to inquiries about peace

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is return to some findings and approaches typical of behavioral sciences and evolutionary anthropology that will allow us to link the process of self-domestication that can be seen in our evolutionary past, the primate tendency to enter into conflicts through patterns of signal exchange rather than direct aggressions, and the development of the persuasive dimension of language, with the possible evolutionary origin of both cultural violence and structural violence. Design/methodology/approach The approach has been, at all times, multidisciplinary insofar as it has sought to elucidate how the inquiries made from the behavioral sciences can help to understand human violence. Findings What was found is the possibility of understanding conflicts as a mechanism of evolutionary pressure that has been involved not only in social restructuring but also in the evolutionary origin of the human being. Research limitations/implications More empirical evidence should be found in this regard. Originality/value This study is a multidisciplinary approach that seeks to understand both the phenomenon of violence and peace from an evolutionary perspective.