Evolutionary psychology

Evolutionary psychology (or EP) proposes that human and primate cognition and behavior can be better understood in light of human and primate evolutionary history. Specifically, EP proposes the primate brain comprises many functional mechanisms, called psychological adaptations or evolved psychological mechanisms (EPMs), that evolved by natural selection to benefit the survival and reproduction of the organism. These mechanisms are universal in the species, excepting those specific to sex or age. Uncontroversial EPMs include vision, hearing, memory, and motor control. More controversial examples include differences in male and female mating preferences and strategies, temperaments and cognitive abilities, incest avoidance mechanisms, cheater detection mechanisms and capture-bonding.

Related Topics:
Cognition - Human and primate evolutionary history - Brain - Mechanisms - Natural selection - Species - Sex - Vision - Hearing - Memory - Motor control - Male - Female - Incest avoidance mechanisms - Cheater detection mechanisms - Capture-bonding

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The main sources of evolutionary psychology are cognitive psychology, genetics, ethology, anthropology, biology, and zoology. The term evolutionary psychology was probably coined by Ghiselin in his 1973 article in Science. Leda Cosmides and John Tooby popularized the term in their highly influential 1992 book The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and The Generation of Culture (ISBN 0195101073).

Related Topics:
Cognitive psychology - Genetics - Ethology - Anthropology - Biology - Zoology - Leda Cosmides - John Tooby - 1992

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Evolutionary psychology has been applied to the study of many fields, including economics, aggression, law, psychiatry, politics, literature, and sex. Evolutionary psychology is closely linked to the field of sociobiology, but there are key differences between them including the emphasis on domain-specific rather than domain-general faculties, the relevance of measures of current fitness, the importance of mismatch theory, and psychology rather than behaviour.

Related Topics:
Economics - Aggression - Law - Psychiatry - Politics - Literature - Sex - Sociobiology

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