Introduction
Emerging in the late 1980s, evolutionary psychology is a revolutionary theoretical framework that utilizes concepts embedded within evolutionary biology by which psychologists study the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings of individuals (Kenrick, 2019). Areas of focus include mating strategies, reactive and proactive aggression, social interactions, and cognitive processes, among others (Buss, 2020; Buss & Shackleford, 1997; Heyes, 2012; Kenrick et al., 2015). Evolutionary psychology has had significant implications for the study of human behavior and social dynamics since its inoculation into the psychological domain as it has provided a conceptual framework that perceives such behaviors and dynamics as resulting from millions of years of influence and interactions rather than just by current consequences. Furthermore, by studying and perceiving human behavior and social dynamics in such a way helps provide psychologists with a fundamental comprehension of why humans act and interact in particular ways and thus helps disclose ways by which these behaviors can be modified, if necessary, beginning at the most fundamental level of the individual (Durisko et al., 2016).
History and Background
Evolutionary psychology, of course, has its roots embedded within the framework of evolutionary theory that was first proposed and theorized by Charles Darwin in the mid-19th century. Later, William James found inspiration from Darwin’s theory of evolution when authoring his major literary work, The Principles of Psychology, that was published in the 1890s. This text included the term evolutionary psychology, and it is here that James promoted the idea of instincts as being a primary, underlying drive of human behavior that was evolutionarily influenced. However, Darwin’s influence within the confines of psychology waned early in the 20th century wherein behaviorism emerged as victor until the 1970s which brought about the cognitive revolution (Buss, 2020).
Both behaviorism and cognitive psychology sought to describe the workings of the mind and its resulting behavior: behaviorism determined that the workings of the mind were simple and could thus be easily influenced to direct behavior, while cognitive psychology conceptualized the mind as a complex entity that, although it could be influenced, could only be done so with much work and over the course of an extended period of time (Benjamin, 2019). Albeit, both theories did not provide a comprehensive framework that helped describe the functional aspects of the mind and the consequential behavior. Evolutionary psychology emerged in the 1980s as an attempted rectifying framework (Buss, 2020).
Evolutionary psychology sought to capitalize on this unfortunate lack of comprehensibility by focusing on multiple factors rather than simply one aspect that was predominant within the confines of behaviorism and cognitive psychology. These multiple factors include social and cultural influences on both behavior and cognitive processes; biological and developmental aspects; and neuroanatomical evolution and processes (Buss, 2020; Elimari & Lafargue, 2020; Kenrick et al., 2015). Moreover, these factors are not only momentarily oriented but are also perceived in a manner that incorporates the extended evolutionary influences such as natural selection and sexual selection that spans a time of millions of years (Buss, 2020).
Societal Influences
As mentioned previously, the field of psychology was in need of a more unified theoretical framework that encompassed the previous theories of behaviorism and cognitive psychology, that which evolutionary psychology sought to accomplish (Buss, 2020). Furthermore, according to Douglas T. Kenrick and colleagues (2015), this demand for a unified comprehension of the human psyche and its resulting behavior was not only crucial within the field of psychology, but it was also a necessary component in understanding human thought, behavior and interactions both on the individual and societal level. In understanding societal functionality, it was important to understand human behavior and motivation which could be best understood through the underlying mechanisms of human evolution. Some motivational factors of interest included self-protection, mate choice, mate retention, coalition formation, status, parental care, and disease-avoidance (Kenrick et al., 2015).
By understanding how these motivational drives evolved, psychologists and social scientists could better understand how the dynamics of society have evolved and still function today. It is through assessing these motivational factors that psychologists and social scientists can understand why and how people form groups that lead to the formation of a given culture, and why from these groups people form bias against other groups. Moreover, understanding these drives helps in understanding how people attract one another in intimate ways such as mate choice and mate retention that helps lead to reproduction and child rearing. It is also through these motivations that help in understanding hierarchal social status patterns among individuals within the groups that they inhabit. These diverse motivational and behavioral patterns among humans manifest themselves most acutely through the various cultural and societal boundaries found throughout the world (Kenrick et al., 2015).
According to Gillian R. Brown and colleagues (2011), the underlying mechanisms responsible for the motivational and behavioral diversity are embedded within the adaptive fabric of genes that have been expressed as a result of natural selection and sexual selection operating for millions of years. To add to this complexity, these genetic influences are still adapting to current environmental conditions that have evolved alongside humans, including technological innovations, social reforms, diet, and education, among others. Furthermore, with this co-evolution between humans and culture, an increase in understanding of the former will help facilitate improved changes in the latter such as increased diversity and inclusion that could potentially lead to the continued successful survival and propagation of the human species (Brown et al., 2011; Buss, 2020).
Professional Influences
These improvements in diversity and inclusion throughout the social fabric will not only be witnessed in domains such as public spaces and the family unit, but also within the confines of professional domains as well. It is through the understanding of the human psyche and the resulting behavior that, for the most part, is heavily influenced by underlying evolutionary mechanisms. With that being said, this is not to say that these behaviors are then justified or that they are immutable, but on the contrary, these behaviors are adaptable to the evolutionary cultural context. For example, men are more susceptible to what is called the sexual overperception bias which is the misconception that a female is sexually interested due to perceived invitational cues such as smiling or eye contact. This sexual overperception bias appears to have its roots embedded within the sexual selection framework wherein men sought to reproduce as often as possible while females tended to be more selective in their mating choice. Due to this, men overperceive sexual interest from females as their perceptions are more oriented towards sexual opportunities compared to females. This, of course, could potentially be the underlying mechanism by which men tend to sexually harass females more often than the other way around; however, not always (Buss, 2019).
Therefore, does this justify this type of behavior when men interact with females, especially within the confines of a professional atmosphere? Of course not. Furthermore, does this imply that men are permanently determined to act out this underlying drives? Again, no. Adaptability is the key to changes in behavior, adaptations that should be implemented over the course of time through efforts such as education and conscious effort. By effectively implementing these efforts, changes in males orientational perceptions can occur that can liberate them from these ancestral behaviors. These changes can then lead to reductions in sexual harassment cases within the professional environment which thus leads to a more egalitarian and inclusive environment wherein both males and females can prosper in a safe and productive manner (Buss, 2019).
Conclusion
Evolutionary psychology provides an opportunity for the unification of psychological theories into a comprehensive metatheoretical framework (Buss, 2020). However, there is still much to be discovered in the application and analysis of this field of psychology. An area of future research that the field of evolutionary psychology should focus on is modern society’s impact on the trajectory of human evolution. With the rise of mental illness and chronic illnesses, the human species has appeared to have taken a dramatic shift in the wrong direction in accordance with the initial evolutionary pathway. This is not to suggest that there is some sort of unitary pathway by which humans should progress; however, the current trajectory has created issues that have long-term consequences that have only begun to reveal themselves. Research on how to treat and reverse such consequences in a manner that is conducive to overall human progress and flourishment is dire (Durisko et al., 2016).
References
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Elimari N and Lafargue G (2020) Network Neuroscience and the Adapted Mind: Rethinking the Role of Network Theories in Evolutionary Psychology. Frontier Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.545632
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Kenrick, D.T. (2019, March 19). evolutionary psychology. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/evolutionary-psychology
Kenrick, D. & Maner, J. & Li, N. (2015). Evolutionary social psychology. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316378566_Evolutionary_Social_Psychology
Michael Thacker 