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Running Head: THE BIOLOGY OF GENOCIDE 1
The Biology of Genocide
Justina Rehn , Nina Kecki , Joe Barkho , and Sui Man Lau
Animal Behavior 328­1
Northeastern Illinois University

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THE BIOLOGY OF GENOCIDE
Genocide is defined as a form of one­sided killing in which a state or other authority
intends to destroy an identifiable people or subgroup. The targeted group may be distinguished
by ethnicity, by religious practice, by geographic location, by behaviour, or by any other
characteristic that readily identifies members. Humans have practiced genocide since antiquity
and remains a part of our behavior today.
The reasons for genocide are based upon the perpetrators motives and divided into four
typologies. The first would be to terminate the threat either if the threat is realized or secret. The
second would be to increase or spread fear among realized and secret dominance. The third
would be to obtain or gain economic wealth. A group can also use genocide to put into effect a
belief, a theory, or an ideology. These typologies are not mutually exclusive and elements of
each typology appear in most genocides. Tying these ideologies to a biological point of view
may help society understand the motivation or the reason behind such behavior.
Few species are known to practice genocide. Chimpanzees indulge in warfare as well,
sometimes killing off an entire troop, Chimpanzees males tend to attack more while defending
their territory from neighboring chimps (Webb, 2014). By killing the competitors the troop of
Chimpanzees have better access to resources. Chimpanzees reduce competition, improve relative
fitness (kin selection), and increasing resources to reproduce​.​ Motives generally come down to
reducing competition, kin selection, and increasing resources to reproduce. These factors, along

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with selection advantage, could provide insight into why humans commit genocide, and how it
may be an innate characteristic. This paper will relate the four typologies of genocide (citation)
to these ethological functions of behavior
Competition for Resources
. Resource­competition occurs when two or more organisms are trying try to attain the
same resources from a limited supply. If one of them excels at obtaining that resource, then it
could have the potential to outcompete the other. The typologies that go with this definition of
competition is “eliminating a potential threat and acquire economic wealth” (​Chalk & Jonassohn,
1990)​. ​ ​We can relate this to competition among organisms. The perpetrators inflicting genocide
are trying to gain access to a resource, in this case wealth. They want to eliminate a threat that
might take their resources or threaten their way of life. This idea could be similar to a species
competing to maintain the population of that species. This typology is committed by empires in
order to maintain that very empire (​Chalk & Jonassohn, 1990)​. Some common resources in
genocides are territory, access to women, food and wealth. Since attaining resources is an
important part of survival this behavior was not selected against.
The Genocide of Carthage

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Early empires thrived by expanding their borders, and by increasing in number, and to
command vast ​ ​resources. The Roman Empire overtook Carthage in 146 B.C. The genocide of
the Carthaginian people resulted in so much destruction, that there is very little historical
documentation that can tell us the motives behind Rome’s play. Seeing the relationship of the
two, both boasted great power, both were rivals, and both were at war more than once.Prior to
the first Punic war, Rome was far inferior to Carthage in its might. Rome was more of a minor
power than a major player. With the defeat of Carthage, Rome became the dominant power in
the Mediterranean. According to F. E. Adcock, economic reasons for the genocide were
incorrect. The motive was rivality and out of fear that Rome itself could be in danger. Losing the
empire was a greater motive than fear itself. Historians also noted that a large part of the death
toll was not due to cold hard killings of Carthage citizens, but of the famine that followed after
the war. Seeing that this was rivalry was back and forth and widely known of, this genocide
could easily be connected to competition. Historians brought the motive down to a few
possibilities: different types of fear, and or economic gains.
Kin Selection
Kin selection is an​ ​evolutionary strategy that favors the reproductive success of kinship
groups. This is even at the cost of the species own survival and reproduction. In nature kin
selection are acts of sacrifice for the good of the genes. For example Belding ground squirrels,

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Spermophilus belding​, ​will make an alarm call to warn other squirrels of an intruder. This call
also alerts the predator to where that squirrel is located. In this example one Belding ground
squirrel is putting his or her life in danger for the sake of kin. Another example is when worker
honeybees, ​Apis mellifera​, attack intruders on the colony. They die in these attacks but this
enables the larva that carry their genes to live and reproduce.
From the point of view of the perpetrator, the victims were seen as outsiders (​Chalk &
Jonassohn, 1990)​. The perpetrators favor the reproductive success of their kin. The typology of
this genocide would be started for ideological reasons such as “enforcing conformity, purifying
the race, and to legitimate a new regime, or to homogenize a nation­state (​Chalk & Jonassohn,
1990)​. Ideological genocides often incur tremendous costs to the society of the perpetrator
(​Chalk & Jonassohn, 1990)​. This idea would fit into our definition of kin selection. The
perpetrator seems to be defending the ones that they believe are kin over the non kin, even
though they are the same species.
Humans identify even the smallest of differences in other humans. We can identify these
differences as green beards. This term refers to someone that is kin and is able to recognize other
kin as easily as if they had a green beard. In modern society it is more difficult to tell if someone
is kin by appearance. This was more useful when we lived in tribes. Still we decide who is kin
and who is not.

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Selection Advantage
Organisms will kill or help kill their kin if it is to their own genetic advantage. An
ecological example of this is how eaglets commit fratricide. They lay two or more eggs in a nest.
The larger eaglet will kill the smaller one and the parents do nothing to stop this (Readey, 2015).
This ensures that the strongest and the one most likely to survive passes on its genes to the next
generation. This enables the eagles to survive and reproduce better because it increases the
survival rate of the parent’s genes. Genocide is a selection advantage. The act can give people
better access to territory, women and wealth. Therefore the behavior was never selected against.
The Romans killed innocent victims for their own genetic advantage. Rome’s apparent intention
to destroy Carthage, its people and culture, no matter what. Overall, the genocide that occurred
in Carthage is a great example to example each typology associated with genocide.
Conclusion
Even as the brutality shocks and terrifies us it, the selection pressure for attaining
resources and destroying enemies is still very strong. We related the topics of competition and
kin selection to genocide. Genocide is one way a group of people can attain resources and help
their kin. Even though it is a terrible practice, genocide may be more frequent in the future as the
world’s resources eventually deplete. The major world powers such as the United States, Russia

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and China all have the ability to outcompete other countries for these resources. It is a selection
advantage to commit acts such as this since it can give people access to other peoples resources.
References
Bouchard Jr., T., & Loehlin, J. (2001). ​Genes, Evolution, and Personality​. Volume 31, Issue 3,
pp 243­273. Behavior Genetics.
Chalk, F., & Jonassohn, K. (1990). ​The history and sociology of genocide: Analyses and case
studies​ (pp. 3­422). New Haven: Yale University Press.
Kin selection | behaviour. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/317986/kin­selection
Readey, M. (Director) (2015, January 5). Evolutionary Approach to Animal Behavior. Lecture
conducted from , Chicago
Web, J. (2014, September 18). Murder 'comes naturally' to chimpanzees ­ BBC News. Retrieved
April 24, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/science­environment­29237276

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