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Qualitative differences between naïve and scientific theories of evolution
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. aes@wjh.harvard.edu
Cognitive Psychology
|December 13, 2005
Summary
Many students misunderstand evolution, favoring transformational reasoning over natural selection. This essentialist thinking hinders understanding species as populations adapting to environmental pressures.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Developmental psychology
- Science education
Background:
- Darwin's theory of evolution marked a shift from essentialist "transformational" theories to population-level natural selection.
- Understanding this conceptual shift is crucial for science education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parallels between historical "transformational" evolution theories and modern students' naïve conceptions.
- To assess how students understand core evolutionary phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Tested 42 high school/college students and 3 evolutionary biologists on six evolutionary concepts.
- Analyzed reasoning patterns for transformational versus natural selection-based explanations.
Main Results:
- A plurality of participants exhibited transformational reasoning, inconsistent with natural selection.
- Internal consistency was similar between transformational and natural selection reasoners, with some exceptions.
- Some participants integrated "survival of the fittest" and "acquired traits are not inherited" into transformational frameworks.
Conclusions:
- The tendency to essentialize biological kinds impedes conceptualizing species as populations.
- Early-developing essentialism poses a barrier to understanding natural selection and environmental influence on evolution.
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