Evolutionary psychology

Evolutionary psychology is a theoretical approach in the social and natural sciences that examines psychological structure from a modern evolutionary perspective. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations – that is, the functional products of natural selection or sexual selection.

Overview

Evolutionary psychology argues that much of human behavior is the output of psychological adaptations that evolved to solve recurrent problems in human ancestral environments. It proposes that the human brain, just like any other organ, was designed for the life of a hunter-gatherer in the past. It suggests that the majority of human psychological mechanisms are adapted to reproductive problems frequently encountered in our evolutionary past. This includes problems of survival, mating, parenting, kinship, and group living.

Theoretical Foundations

The theoretical foundations of evolutionary psychology are based on the theories of Charles Darwin, particularly his theories of natural and sexual selection. The key principle of evolutionary psychology is that the human mind consists of information-processing mechanisms that have evolved through natural selection. These mechanisms, known as evolved psychological adaptations or EPAs, are aspects of the mind that have been shaped by natural selection to solve specific problems of survival or reproduction.

Criticisms and Controversies

Despite its widespread acceptance, evolutionary psychology has been criticized on several grounds. Critics argue that it is difficult to test the hypotheses generated by evolutionary psychology. Others argue that it relies too heavily on the nature versus nurture debate, and that it often overlooks the complexities of the human mind and of human culture.

See also

• Sociobiology
• Human behavioral ecology
• Dual inheritance theory
• Gene-centered view of evolution
• Evolutionary developmental psychology
• Evolutionary neuroscience