ABSTRACT
D ealing with environmental Stressors such as predators, aggressive rivals, and the divergent interests of conspecifics is one of the primary evolutionary challenges faced by all creatures. In this respect, nature has often been ingenious in its solutions: thick skin, sharp teeth, quick reflexes, and even camouflage. Humans, like many other primate species, have adapted group living and deep investment in social bonds as a primary solution to the problems of survival and reproduction (Caporeal, 1997; Dunbar, 1998). This observation has long been acknowledged in both evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology but until recently, few scholars have recognized how important social relationships are for managing stress, for health, and for longevity. Recent converging evidence from biology and psychology reveals the manifold benefits of social relationships.
