Evolutionary Psychology - How Our Biology Affects What We Think and Do

305 Pages·2016·3.92 MB·English

by  Valerie G. Starratt

Evolutionary
Psychology
How Our Biology Affects
What We Think and Do
Valerie G. Starratt
Copyright © 2016 by ABC-CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Starratt, Valerie G., author.
Title: Evolutionary psychology : how our biology affects what we think and do /
Valerie G. Starratt.
Description: Santa Barbara, California : Greenwood, [2016] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015046343 | ISBN 9781610696814 (hardback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781610696821 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Evolutionary psychology.
Classification: LCC BF698.95 .S73 2016 | DDC 155.7—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015046343
ISBN: 978-1-61069-681-4
EISBN: 978-1-61069-682-1
20 19 18 17 16 1 2 3 4 5
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Manufactured in the United States of America
This book is dedicated to:
The Good Doctors Kit and Gerry Starratt
for all of it
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Contents
Introduction, xi
Acknowledgments, xv
Chapter 1: Basic Things to Know, 1
The Real World, 1
Levels of Analysis, 5
Adaptive Problems, 7
Evolution by Natural (and Sexual) Selection, 9
Natural Selection, 9
Sexual Selection, 12
Basic Tenets of Evolution, 13
Variation, 13
Genetic Heritability, 14
Competition, 18
Products of Evolution, 18
Adaptations, 18
By-Products, 25
Noise, 26
Common Misunderstandings and Critiques, 26
Genetic Determinism, 27
Just-So Stories, 28
Falsifiability, 28
Extreme Adaptationism, 29
v
vi | Contents
The False Dichotomy of Nature versus Nurture, 30
The False Equivalency of Is = Should Be, 31
References and Further Readings, 31
Chapter 2: Survival, 33
The Real World, 33
Landscape Preferences, 35
Food, 37
Cooking, 39
Caloric Availability, 41
Hazardous Foods, 42
Conspecifics, 48
Behavioral Immune System, 49
Social Exchange, 51
Fear, 51
Across the Lifespan, 53
Prepared Learning, 55
Attention and Perception, 56
Biological Preparedness, 57
References and Further Readings, 60
Chapter 3: Mating, 63
The Real World, 63
Minimal Parental Investment, 64
Mate Value, 65
Assortative Mating, 66
Indicators of Mate Value, 67
Mating Strategies, 70
Long Term, 71
Short Term, 74
Sexual Conflict, 76
Life History, 78
Mate Attraction, 80
Enhancing Perceived Value, 81
Contents | vii
Olfaction, 83
Competition and Cooperation, 86
Mate Retention, 88
Benefit Provisioning, 89
Cost Inflicting, 90
Discriminant Use, 91
Mating Effort, 92
References and Further Readings, 93
Chapter 4: Fitness and Kinship, 97
The Real World, 97
Genetics and Heredity, 99
The Building Blocks of Life, 99
Coefficient of Relationship, 100
Inclusive Fitness, 103
Kin Selection, 104
Kin Recognition, 106
Propinquity, 107
Matching, 108
Recognition Alleles, 109
Familiarity, 110
Kin Conflict, 110
Parent-Offspring Conflict, 110
Siblings, 114
Selfish Gene, 118
References and Further Readings, 119
Chapter 5: Emotions, 121
The Real World, 121
Basic Emotions, 123
Specified Physiology, 123
Universality, 124
Reliability, 127
Immediacy and Automaticity, 128
viii | Contents
Evolved Function, 129
Coordination of Evolved Mechanisms and Behavior, 129
Decision Making, 131
Recognition, 134
Faking, 137
Individual Differences, 138
References and Further Readings, 140
Chapter 6: Cognition, Consciousness, and Development, 143
The Real World, 143
Cognition, 144
Executive Functioning, 147
Neuroanatomy, 150
Consciousness, 150
Neuroanatomy, 152
Function, 153
Process, 155
Big Brains, 157
Altriciality, 157
Ontogenetic Adaptations, 160
Some Proposed Ontogenetic Adaptations, 160
Play, 162
Immaturity, 163
Epigenetic Inheritance, 164
Species-Typical versus Atypical Experience, 166
Typical, 166
Atypical, 167
Recapitulation Theory, 169
References and Further Readings, 170
Chapter 7: Society, Language, and Culture, 173
The Real World, 173
Self-Awareness, 175
Theory of Mind, 178
In-Groups and Out-Groups, 180
Social Hierarchy, 183
Contents | ix
Leadership, 185
Leader States and Traits, 185
Leadership Strategies, 187
Group Cooperation, 188
Cheater Detection, 189
Logic and Reason, 189
Cues, 191
Language, 195
Memetics, 196
Good Memes, 197
Modern Memes, 198
References and Further Readings, 199
Chapter 8: Supernatural Agency: a.k.a. of
Ghosts and Gods, 201
The Real World, 201
Ghosts, 202
Speaking Well of the Dead, 204
Moral Guardians, 205
Gods, 205
Religious Universals, 206
Religion as an Adaptation, 206
An Afterlife, 207
Other Benefits, 209
Promoting Beliefs, 211
Making Ghosts, 213
References and Further Readings, 214
Chapter 9: Practical Applications, 217
The Real World, 217
Evolutionary Clinical Psychology, 220
Education, 222
Folk Knowledge, 222
Secondary Abilities, 224
School and Modern Learning, 225
Individual Differences, 228