ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the biocultural framework for understanding intragroup and intergroup relations, focusing on how it predicts the wide array of emotional and behavioral reactions people have toward different groups. In contemporary theories, emotions play a prominent role in the process by which humans and other animals adapt to changing circumstances. Consistent with people biocultural approach, there exists great qualitative diversity in the emotions people experience when thinking about groups; the concept of prejudice is clearly inadequate as the sole indicator of intergroup affect. The biocultural framework provides a basis for identifying and understanding common features of intragroup and intergroup processes across cultures, time, and related social species. The biocultural framework directly implies a theory of natural social morality and justice actions that facilitate effective ingroup functioning and the acquisition of group resources are seen as moral and just by ingroup members people suspect that it sets a common foundation for religious and legal systems across the globe.
