Toward an Expansion of Research Paradigms (IN: Suicide and Self-Damaging Behavior: a Sociobiological Perspective)

This chapter synthesizes biological approaches to self-damaging behavior and suggests focuses for future research. Commonalities within the forms of self-damaging behavior include chronic coping difficulty, novel environments & the predominance of the behavior among males. Suggested focuses for future research include: learning VS innate determination, biological fitness, the role of ecological novelty & technology in self-damaging behavior, cross-cultural comparisons and altruism & suicide.