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Darwin in mind: new opportunities for evolutionary psychology
Johan J Bolhuis1, Gillian R Brown, Robert C Richardson
1Behavioural Biology Group and Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.j.bolhuis@uu.nl
Plos Biology
|August 4, 2011
Summary
Evolutionary Psychology needs updates. Recent findings in genetics and neuroscience suggest human cognition may be more general than modular, requiring a revised understanding of psychological adaptations.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Established Evolutionary Psychology (EP) paradigm posits the human mind is modular, shaped by adaptations for Pleistocene ancestral environments.
- Recent interdisciplinary findings challenge core EP tenets, suggesting a need for paradigm revision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To argue for modifications to the established Evolutionary Psychology paradigm.
- To integrate recent findings from genetics, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and paleoecology into a redefined EP.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of recent findings from human genetics, evolutionary biology, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and paleoecology.
- Analysis of experimental evidence regarding cognitive processes.
Main Results:
- Many human genes show recent selective sweeps, indicating ongoing evolution.
- Humans actively co-direct their development and evolution.
- Experimental data often supports general cognitive processes over strictly modular accounts.
Conclusions:
- The established Evolutionary Psychology paradigm requires modification.
- A redefined EP can leverage modern evolutionary biology for hypotheses and incorporate novel methods from adjacent fields.
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