Abstract
This qualitative study aimed at performing a theoretical review and understanding the phylogenic aspects and the story of the ontogenic development of human longevity, in addition to proposing a brief reflection about the role of old age in an evolutionary perspective based on the theoretical references of Ethology, Evolutionary Developmental Psychology, and Gerontology. This is a narrative review based on national and international publications selected from journals and books indexed online which were accessed by the following database: Lilacs, Google Scholar, and Scielo, with a 55-year period range for the search (1957 to 2012) through the combined descriptors: longevity, aging, evolutionary psychology, phylogeny, and ontogeny. According to the inclusion criteria, 43 publications were analyzed through the Content Analysis and discusses in three categories: distal causal mechanism of human longevity, approaching the enlargement of the stages of life, and theories that discuss the reproductive role of the species; proximal causal mechanisms, built along life and the evolutionary role of aging with its importance for the species in the attempt to amplify the meanings of this stage of life in the Gerontology field. Faced with the discussion, we perceived that the study of the determinants of human longevity (in their phylogenetic and ontogenetic dimensions) is consistent and represents an important model for a broader and deeper understanding.
Highlights
The extension of life expectancy on the 21st century is considered one of the greatest triumphs of humanity andHow to cite this paper: do Nascimento, R
Considering the importance of this topic and the need to exploit it widely this review focuses on the objective of presenting a theoretical review about the integration of phylogenetic aspects and the history of ontogenetic development, in addition to proposing a reflection about the role of aging in an evolutionary approach
For the Evolutionary Developmental Psychology (EDP), in conceptual terms, the phylogenesis consists in the study of the evolutionary history of the species, possibly defining limits and possibilities of development, in other words, the phylogenetic sense is present when the word evolution leads us to the progress of the human species that have been happening since the origins of life up to the current forms adopted by mankind (Moura, 2004; Fonseca, 1998)
Summary
How to cite this paper: do Nascimento, R. On the need to differentiate the field studies, Hayflick (2000) affirms that longevity is a process capable of extending the reproductive capacity through natural selection ensuring the achievement of better and longer survival In this sense, the author still asks two fundamental questions: Why do we grow old? Many scientific studies have been performed in the attempt to answer such questions, especially because of the noticeable growing population of elderly people followed by the extension of life expectancy in the world These efforts come from several areas as biology, medicine, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, let alone the emergence of one more study field that aims at integrating the specialized perspectives: Gerontology (Brasil, 2006; Neri, 2001; Silva, 2008). Considering the importance of this topic and the need to exploit it widely this review focuses on the objective of presenting a theoretical review about the integration of phylogenetic aspects and the history of ontogenetic development, in addition to proposing a reflection about the role of aging in an evolutionary approach
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