The anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy argued that a reading of On Human Nature refutes the accusation that Wilson aims to use sociobiology to reinforce traditional sex roles. The philosopher Roger Scruton criticized Wilson's sociobiological explanations of human social behavior, arguing that because of Wilson's "polemical purpose" he was forced to oversimplify the facts.
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy maintained that a reading of On Human Nature negates Wilson’s assertion that sociobiology is used to support traditional gender roles. Roger Scruton criticized Wilson's sociobiological explanations of human social behavior, stating that his "polemical purpose" compelled him to oversimplify the facts.