Percentage of women age 20 to 24 who were married or in union before age 18 More than 60 percent 41–60 percent 21–40 percent 20 percent or less Niger Mali In 21 countries, 40 percent or more of the women under 18 are married. Note: Data are the most recent available, ranging from 1987 to 2006. Source: UNICEF 2010. 62 CHAPTER THREE Culture Eritrea Somalia Afghanistan Nepal Eventually, given their advantage in survival, individuals with the variation began to outnumber other members of the species. The species was slowly adapting to its environment. Darwin called this process of adaptation to the environment through random genetic variation natural selection. Sociobiologists apply Darwin’s principle of natural selection to the study of social behavior. They assume that particular forms of behavior become genetically linked to a species if they contribute to its fitness to survive (van den Berghe 1978). In its extreme form, sociobiology suggests that all behavior is the result of genetic or biological factors, and that social interactions play no role in shaping people’s conduct. Sociobiologists do not seek to describe individual behavior on the level of “Why is Fred more aggressive than Jim?” Rather, they focus on how human nature is affected by the genetic composition of a group of people who share certain characteristics (such as men or women, or members of isolated tribal bands). In general, sociobiologists have stressed the basic genetic heritage that all humans share and have shown little interest in speculating about alleged differences between racial groups or nationalities. A few researchers have tried to trace specific behaviors, like criminal activity, to certain genetic markers, but those markers are not deterministic. Family cohesiveness, peer group behavior, and other social factors can override genetic influences on behavior (Guo et al. 2008; E. Wilson 1975, 1978). Certainly most social scientists would agree that there is a biological basis for social behavior. Like interactionists, however, conflict theorists and functionalists believe that people’s behavior rather than their genetic structure defines social reality. Conflict theorists Data not available or child marriage not widely practiced Dominican Republic Burkina Faso Guinea Nigeria Zambia Mozambique Uganda Central African Republic Bangladesh India Malawi Nicaragua Chad Sierra Ethiopia Leone MAPPING LIFE WORLDWIDE FIGURE 3-1 COUNTRIES WITH HIGH CHILD MARRIAGE RATES
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