The theory of evolution focuses on the ultimately (i.e. genetically) self-serving
nature of co-operative and competitive relations among children. The self-serving
goals of co-operative relations are mediated by biases in social judgement largely
ignored by developmental psychologists. Individual differences in heritable
behavioural styles are viewed as resources of varying value in different social
contexts. Limitations in the a-priori predictive power of evolutionary theory are discussed.
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