Religious violence and the Demonic Males Hypothesis

            Rates of killing rivals of the same species vary widely, and are particularly high in humans compared to most animals. The Demonic Males Hypothesis states that predispositions for violence by human males have been favored by natural selection, thanks to an evolutionary ecology in which the killing of helpless rivals was advantageous. The hypothesis thus suggests that human males have a ‘demonic’ tendency compared to males of most primate species. According to this idea, men categorize others into in-group and out-group members, and when they encounter out-group members who cannot effectively defend themselves, they tend to conduct violent attacks intended to kill the victim. This behavior is putatively psychologically rewarding even without any resources being acquired as a result, because natural selection has led men to enjoy the prospects and practice of such violence. The reasons parallel those concerned with the desire for sexual interactions. In neither case can the actors predict the outcome in terms of increased biological fitness, but in both cases the behaviors have on average been beneficial in the past.....<READ MORE>