Evolutionary Psychology

✍ Scribed by Hans Van De Braak

• Publisher: Pearson
• Year: 2013
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 417
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Ø Why do humans live in social groups?

Ø What is the purpose of culture and why is it important?

Ø How did human language develop and what distinguishes it from other animal communication systems?

 

Evolutionary Psychology offers a comprehensive and lucid overview of the main ideas, issues and debates in this field, tackling a wide range of fascinating questions that are pertinent to our understanding of modern life.

Uniquely, the book balances the three key perspectives on evolutionary theory, providing an insight into how our brain mechanisms, behavioural strategies and learning capacity have all contributed to our evolution. 

The book first guides the reader through the foundations of evolutionary psychology, drawing on research and key theories, before discussing the future directions of this field.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Contents
Part 1 Basics
1 The history of evolutionary psychology
Learning outcomes
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Emergence from three sciences
1.3 Biology
1.4 Psychology
1.5 Neuroscience
1.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
2 Problems and solutions in evolution
Learning outcomes
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Evolutionary approaches to problems
2.3 Genome, nervous system and culture as solutions
2.4 Levels of complexity
2.5 Replaying the tape of life
2.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
3 The place of humans in evolution
Learning outcomes
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The geological timescale
3.3 From the ladder of life to the tree of life
3.4 We are primates
3.5 What makes us human?
3.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
Part 2 Problems
4 Males and females
Learning outcomes
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The origin of sexual reproduction
4.3 The theory of sexual selection
4.4 Mating systems in human evolution
4.5 Mate preferences of men and women
4.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
5 Fathers, mothers and others
Learning outcomes
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Inbreeding avoidance
5.3 Origin of the human family
5.4 When mothers needed assistance
5.5 Parent–offspring conflict
5.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
6 The evolution of social life
Learning outcomes
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Why live socially?
6.3 The social evolution of primates
6.4 Solutions to the problem of cooperation
6.5 Cognitive capacities for cooperation
6.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
7 The origin and expression of emotions
Learning outcomes
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Why did emotions evolve?
7.3 Facial expressions in primates
7.4 The neural basis of emotions
7.5 The emergence of social emotions
7.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
8 Brain and cognition
Learning outcomes
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Evolution of the brain
8.3 Cognitive capacities in apes and corvids
8.4 Selection pressures for great ape cognition
8.5 Social cognition in chimpanzees and humans
8.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
9 The origins of language
Learning outcomes
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The origin of flexible communication
9.3 The gestural origin of language
9.4 The vocal origin of language
9.5 The cognitive origin of language
9.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
10 Culture in evolution
Learning outcomes
10.1 Introduction
10.2 What is culture?
10.3 Cultural inheritance
10.4 How culture is incorporated in evolutionary theory
10.5 Cumulative cultural evolution
10.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
Part 3 Specials
11 The evolutionary paradox of mental illness
Learning outcomes
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Defining mental illness
11.3 Distinguishing normal responses from mental disorders
11.4 Explaining the adaptive function of mental illness
11.5 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
12 Evolution through development
Learning outcomes
12.1 Introduction
12.2 The rise of evo-devo
12.3 Types of developmental reorganisation
12.4 Why mammals play
12.5 How play evolved through development
12.6 Summary
Study questions
Suggested reading
Glossary
References
Index