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Biosocial is an adjective; "of, relating to, or entailing the interaction or combination of social and biological factors." making Biosocial a gloss word, covering a broader definition than specific forms pertaining to sociology, psychology, and cognitive-behavioral studies. Biosocial can refer to or be used in other specific fields;

• Biosocial Theory
• Biosocial criminology
• Sociobiology

Contemporary Understanding

It could be said that Biosocial behavior is the focus of sociobiology, but the definition put forth by E. O. Wilson; “The extension of population biology and evolutionary theory to social organization" it is more grounded in biology than anthropology where the term biosocial can often be found. The description of something that is biosocial in anthropological context is applied to humans, and as such it tends to lose its general relatedness to animals. The study of family structure has become increasingly popular, and as such our understanding of the multitude of individual social factors in conjunction with biological factors has expanded. This has brought to light more questions and problems than answers; there exists serious risk of biological reductionism and consideration of only biological factors in this form of behavioral analysis. It is vital to note that biological factors do not include race or ethnicity as a person's genetics have no bearing on these factors, nor can these factors be determined from genetic analysis.

Both biosocial criminology and biosocial theory go into detail on cases and understanding of the subject but apply almost explicitly to the developmentally disabled or mentally handicapped. Disability is not a prerequisite for a behavior or concept to be biosocial.

Risks and Abuse

When used without context to define a behavior in terms of being innate or uncontrollable there arises many problems and even crimes if the term is applied to group or some set of people. Biosocial is often applied in contexts of biological sex and culture as these are common and significant factors on behavior that factor into its analysis. While it is not incorrect that it can be applied to behavior pertinent to these variables it can also be used incorrectly in that same context. Studies that make any assumptions or conclusions using biosocial factors as a basis should be taken with a grain of salt. Every human being is an individual, an identified and significant biosocial behavior is a statistical analysis of a large sample group and does not give concrete results that can or should be applied by science on an individual basis under any circumstance abiding scientific moral and/or ethical conduct.

Historical Bias

Biosocial studies have frequently had a negative connotation or skeptical treatment because of misguided or manipulative studies performed by scientists in the age of White Imperialism or more modern biased studies which at their worst differ nominally or not at all from those in the past. Common malpractice has been the misidentification of culture and gender as variables that can be applied to all persons of a gender identity or ethnicity associated with a certain culture, these are both incorrect and dangerous applications of the concept and field of study. The term retains value despite how it may be misused as it has valid anthropological and social applications when applied properly and professionally.

Author's use examples

The role of biosocial studies is varied and intense. While it is not restricted to the field of anthropology it is a term that has seen extensive use by authors like Arthur Kleinman; "Harvard University; Professor of Medical Anthropology, Global Health and Social Medicine..." where the term is used n reference to global health and medicine as opposed to behavioral study.

In contrast Matthew C. Gutmann, also known as Stanley J. Bernstein; "Assistant Professor of the Social Sciences–International Affairs in the Department of Anthropology at Brown University.". Gutmann has written about multiple books based on ethnography studies like; Changing Men and Masculinities in Latin America, The Meanings of Macho: Being a Man in Mexico City and Mainstreaming Men into Gender and Development, and Fixing Men; Sex, Birth Control, and AIDS in Mexico. All of his works have of highlights how Biosocial concepts like the gender role, personality, behaviors, self control, and masculinity can become wrapped up in authoritative knowledge and medicine. Much of Gutmann's analysis come back to machismo, which has many contradicting definitions depending heavily on culture and context but most if not all of which assume heavily pronounced characteristics of sexuality and sexual activity along with dominance over partners or common pursuit of many partners. Latin American culture has a history of medicalization of male behaviors and sexuality leading to many norms and assumptions that are treated much like biosocial concepts but which have very little valid founding or established support. This has lead to a different kind of biosocial concept, one that stems from and is supported by culture and that is applied based on a person's sex. The cause of biosocial behavior does not alter if the definition is correct but rather shows how crucial context is to understanding what the word is meant to convey.