biosociology
/bʌɪəʊʃɪˈɒlədʒi/ /bʌɪəʊsəʊˌsəʊsɪˈɒlədʒi/Chiefly Social Sciences
noun
The study of how interacting social and biological factors influence human behaviour; specifically a branch of study which uses knowledge or methods from the life sciences to analyse and interpret social behaviour.
- In later use, considered distinct from sociobiology which seeks to explain the ultimate causes of human and animal behaviour, especially using evolutionary theory..
Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in State Hospitals Bulletin. From bio- + sociology, probably originally after French bio-sociologie.