Applying sociobiology to study humans is very controversial issue, from both scientific and political/religious point of view, with opponents coming from the latter being much more vocal. Non-human sociobiology does not create such controversies.
Sociobiology applies strict mathematical models to animal behavior. Therefore its results are recognized more widely than results of any of previous social or ethological theories. For example, altruism in animals was first satisfactorily explained by means of sociobiology.
Memetics was created to allow applying means of sociobiology to human populations.
Well-known sociobiologists:
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