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Homo historicus: History as psychological science
David Pietraszewski1, Michael Moncrieff2
1Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA pietra@ucsb.eduhttps://psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/david-pietraszewski.
Understanding historical myths requires an adaptationist approach. This perspective can also explain why humans create and engage with history, highlighting the need for evolutionary psychology in historical studies.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Historical Studies
Background:
- Historical myths present an explanatory challenge.
- Existing adaptationist accounts offer partial insights.
- The production and consumption of history itself remain unexplained.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply an adaptationist framework to the general production and consumption of history.
- To propose the necessity of an evolutionary psychological science of history.
Main Methods:
- Elaboration on the current adaptationist account of historical myths.
- Application of adaptationist principles to broader historical engagement.
Main Results:
- The adaptationist framework provides a potential explanation for historical myth creation.
- This same framework can elucidate motivations behind producing and consuming history.
Conclusions:
- An adaptationist psychological science is crucial for understanding human engagement with history.
- Further research is needed to develop this interdisciplinary field.
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