I am in Blocker, studying for finals, occasionally getting sidetracked mentally by the LED Matrix project. I walked outside for a smoke. Two girls sat on the bench, one braiding another's hair. Common scene? Maybe in high school or junior high, or amongst female siblings. These were 18 or 19 yr old girls, possibly friends for no longer than the duration of the semester, sitting on a bench socially grooming one another. This is great ape behavior: social grooming to strengthen the social bond. You never see 30 yr old women sitting around doing each other's hair, unless maybe it's girl's night after the terrible breakup in some Hollywood movie scene. I remember watching my sister braid her friend's hair and the inverse, watching female classmates in elementary and junior high, and watching freshman girls in the dorm do the same. I think this behavior can be a big marker in the process of social conditioning and maturation described as the college induced "growing-up" period. These girl's two years from now, will be interacting with other adults in a more 'conditioned' manner after the realization that this social behavior is not the norm amongst and between adult women.
I think we should retire the phrase 'maternal instinct' as used in this situation. It should be 'primatial instinct'.
Score one for Universal Darwinism.
