Randy Thornhill
| Randy Thornhill | |
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| Born | Randy Thornhill 1944 Alabama, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Evolutionary psychology, entomology |
| Alma mater |
Auburn University, University of Michigan |
| Thesis | Evolutionary Ecology of the Mecoptera (Insecta) (1974) |
| Known for | A Natural History of Rape, The Evolution of Insect Mating Systems |
| Influences | George C. Williams, Margo Wilson, W. D. Hamilton |
| Notable awards | Humboldt Prize (1989) |
| Spouse | Nancy Thornhill (divorced) Joy Thornhill (divorced) |
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Website biology |
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Randy Thornhill (born 1944) is an American entomologist and evolutionary biologist. He is a professor of biology at the University of New Mexico, and was president of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society from 2011 to 2013. He is known for his evolutionary explanation of rape as well as his work on insect mating systems and the Parasite-Stress Theory.
Thornhill was born in Alabama in 1944. When he was 12, his mother introduced him to Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, which encouraged his later interest in human evolution.
He received a B.S. in Zoology from Auburn University in 1968, an M.S. in Entomology from Auburn University in 1970, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Michigan in 1974. His doctoral thesis discussed the evolutionary ecology of Mecoptera insects. He was formerly married to fellow researcher Nancy Thornhill. He believes that conservative ideologies are the principle barrier to scientific progress.
Thornhill's interests lie in the evolution and ecology of animal social psychology and behavior, as well as human behavioral ecology and evolutionary psychology. In 1983, Thornhill published The Evolution of Insect Mating Systems, a book journalist Ethan Watters described as "groundbreaking". He considers this his most important work. As of 2014, he has published four books and over 150 papers, which have been cited more than 17,000 times. His work has been featured in many newspapers, magazines, television shows and radio programs, including an interview on The Today Show.
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