Evolutionary Psychology Research Articles

How bipedalism shapes humans' actions with hand tools.

The task for an embodied cognitive understanding of humans' actions with tools is to elucidate how the human body, as a whole, supports the perception of affordances and dexterous action with objects in relation to other objects. Here, we focus on the relationship between humans' actions with handheld tools and bipedal posture. Posture plays a pivotal role in shaping animals' perception and action dynamics. While humans stand and locomote bipedally, other primates predominantly employ quadrupedal postures and locomotion, relying on both hands and feet to support the body. Drawing upon evidence from evolutionary biology, developmental psychology and performance studies, we elucidate the influence of bipedalism on our actions with objects and on our proficiency in using tools. We use the metaphor of cascades to capture the dynamic, nonlinear transformations in morphology and behaviour associated with posture and the use of tools across evolutionary and developmental timescales. Recent work illustrates the promise of multifractal cascade analysis to reveal nonlinear, cross-scale interactions across the entire body in real-time, supporting the perception of affordances for actions with tools. Cascade analysis enriches our comprehension of real-time performance and facilitates exploration of the relationships among whole-body coordination, individual development, and evolutionary processes.This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'.

Brief report: Social comparison, hypercompetitiveness, and indirect aggression: Associations with loneliness and mental health.

Indirect aggression is commonly used in adulthood, but most researchers have focused on this behavior in romantic relationships or from an intrasexual competition perspective. Therefore, we aimed to understand the social characteristics and mental health correlates of indirect aggression by combining perspectives from developmental psychopathology and evolutionary psychology. We examined: (1) whether social characteristics (social comparison, hypercompetitiveness) contributed to indirect aggression (perpetration, victimization) and (2) whether there were indirect effects from indirect aggression (perpetration, victimization) to mental health difficulties through loneliness. In a cross-sectional sample of 475 young adults (57.7% women, 51.6% White, Mage = 20.2, SDage = 2.18), path analyses revealed that social comparison predicted indirect aggression victimization, which indirectly predicted mental health difficulties (depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms) through loneliness. In contrast, indirect aggression perpetration was only predicted by hypercompetitiveness. The findings highlight that reframing cognitions associated with social comparison could help prevent indirect aggression and mental health difficulties among young people.

Antisocial Personality Disorder as a Form of Adaptive Strategy

Background: in contemporary domestic psychiatry the evolutionary explanations of antisocial personality disorder are practically lacking. The aim of study: the analysis of the significant concepts of the evolutionary approach to understanding the origins and typology of antisocial, or dissocial, personality disorder. Material and methods: a narrative review of contemporary English-language psychiatric and psychological literature using all available search engines using the keywords “antisocial psychopathy” and “evolutionary psychiatry and psychology”. Discussion and conclusion: in English-language psychiatric and psychological literature the affective component of antisocial traits, emphasized only in ICD-10, is called “primary psychopathy,” while the behavioral component of antisocial traits, associated with “sensation seeking” and “hyperactivation,” is called “secondary” psychopathy. Evolutionary and ecological approaches emphasize the adaptive role of aggressive and antisocial behavior, viewing such behavior as a “high-risk strategy” in social and sexual competition, as “costly” but potentially adaptive (rather than as “behavioral dysfunctions”). The understanding of persistent antisocial behavior as a social “trickster” strategy exploiting the trust and cooperative behavior of others is based on the R. Axelrod-W. Hamilton “iterated” prisoner’s dilemma. In the Prisoner’s Dilemma evolutionary model, the player’s payoff is determined by the effects on “fitness”: survival and fertility. Participating in several interactions with individuals, an antisocial “deceiver” with high mobility is able to exist, manifesting itself with a fairly low frequency in the population. Non-cooperative behavior in both animals and humans reduces the fitness of others and includes aggressive behavior, deception, betrayal, predation and social parasitism. From the point of view of the concept of “economic games,” people with subclinically expressed primary psychopathic traits (emotional coldness, manipulativeness, Machiavellianism) are represented as “strategists” with cooperation partners: they give with reciprocity to those partners whom they consider “highly valuable” (with the potential for great benefits in future), and only “take”, manipulating and deceiving, from those of “low value”. In a broad sense, evolutionary psychologists and psychiatrists find in the characteristics of antisocial individuals a predominance of a set of properties of “fast” life strategies, while the concept of “fast strategies” is also used to explain geographical differences in the prevalence of aggressive behavior.

Social Media Ills and Evolutionary Mismatches: A Conceptual Framework

From the erosion of mental well-being through incessant comparison, unrealistic portrayals, and addiction, the negative effects of social media are well-documented. However, it is necessary to move beyond the simplistic characterizations of social media as inherently either beneficial or detrimental and, instead, underscore the nuanced mechanisms that underlie its adverse outcomes. To this end, this paper delineates a conceptual framework grounded in evolutionary psychology, designed to explain the prevalent negative repercussions often linked to the utilization of social media. Specifically, we argue that these “social media ills” are manifestations of evolutionary mismatches between social media features and our evolved mechanism designed for social living. We start by reviewing how our psychological mechanisms—sociometer, social monitoring system, and social comparison—facilitate living within complex social situations and fulfill our fundamental need to belong. We then identify features of social media that may hijack these processes to produce the consequences we observe today. We have also recommended several evolutionarily informed directions policymakers and social media companies can undertake to treat social media ills at their root cause. This article concludes by discussing the theoretical implications and interventions the evolutionary mismatch hypothesis provides.

Когнитивная археология: между Кантом и Выготским

The paper touches upon the problems of historical development of thought. One of the approaches to the evolution of human cognitive abilities – cognitive archaeology – is considered. The relation of cognitive archaeology to broader debates about the evolution of mind and its specificity is defined. It is shown that in general theoretical and worldview terms, one of the branches of cognitive archaeology is based on evolutionary psychology (in the broad sense) and its inherent (quasi-)Kantian worldview. The second branch is associated with the recognition of the significant role of materiality, material and practical collective activity in the formation of the mind, and in this respect it is much closer to the ideas of cultural-historical approaches than to the Kantian approach. It is argued that the current state of the discipline is predominantly associated with this second strand.

Sex Differences in the Etiology of Victimization in Adulthood.

Until relatively recently, the study of victimization has been largely outside the purview of behavioral geneticists and evolutionary psychologists. Recent victimology research, however, has shown that genetic and evolutionary forces are connected to the risk of victimization. The current study expands on these findings by examining whether genetic influences differentially explain victimization in males and females. To do so, we use a sample of sibling pairs drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health; N = 4,244). The analyses revealed no significant quantitative sex differences in the etiology of adult victimization. However, the results of this study do highlight the importance of accounting for genetic factors when studying the etiology of specific types of adult victimization. We conclude by discussing the implications of the current study for future research.

Understanding the application of evolutionary psychology in consumer behavior: A review and future research agenda

AbstractThis paper is the first to offer a comprehensive literature review of the role of evolutionary psychology (EP) in marketing and consumer behavior. This study takes a holistic approach, combining techniques of a systematic review with bibliometric analysis, to provide a performance analysis and identify theories and methodologies used in the literature. Most importantly, by studying the current state of EP, we elucidate six major themes: the role of gender in families, the role of affect in consumer behavior, food preferences and shopping behavior, motivations for and consequences of status signaling, the impact of ovulation on consumer motives and behaviors, and contributions to the greater good. The findings enable researchers to understand the current state of the literature. Further, to advance the application of EP in consumer behavior, we identify gaps related to each theme and offer research questions that can serve as catalysts for future research. Thus, we offer two primary contributions: a comprehensive overview of the literature as it relates to methods, theories, and themes and detailed guidance that can be used to invigorate research on EP.

Leveraging multiple digital footprint datasets to predict racial, sex-based, and sexual-orientation bias across US states

Introduction & BackgroundRacial, gender, and sexual-orientation biases are pervasive throughout society. Importantly, modern digitally oriented datasets can elucidate important societal variables and potential solutions. One contemporary theory that attempts to explain these biases is parasite-stress: an evolutionary psychology hypothesis suggesting that increased infectious diseases rates increase out-group biases. We present preliminary findings that suggest that disease rates are a meaningful geospatial predictor of multiple biases. Objectives & ApproachWe explored biases using geospatial analyses throughout multiple datasets based on US participants: Project Implicit, American National Election Studies (ANES), Google Trends, and Twitter/X. We included state-based variables to compare between states and assess the most important environmental-level predictors of biases. We built generalised linear and linear mixed-effect models and general linear models. Within Project implicit (n > 3,000,000) and ANES datasets (n > 30,000), we assessed racial and sexual-orientation biases via explicit and implicit measures. For Google Trends and Twitter/X datasets, we assessed racial and sex-based biases via search and tweet-per-state scores. To analyse the biases, we included environmental-level variables, e.g., infectious disease rates (developed by Thornhill and Fincher in 2014), and individual-level variables, e.g., political orientation. Relevance to Digital FootprintsThese preliminary findings analyse everyday people’s online behaviour including volunteered surveys, searches and posts. We attempt to address the pressing societal issue of bias by leveraging modern datasets. Our primary goal is to aid policy makers by recommending cost-effective solutions that can improve several factors of the population’s quality of life. ResultsWe find that the most consistently significant predictor of racial bias is infectious disease rates. When leveraging Google Trends data including anti-women terminology, infectious disease rates and population density are consistent predictors of bias. Finally, we find preliminary results suggesting that increased levels of infectious diseases increases homophobic bias. Conclusions & ImplicationsOverall, we find that as infectious disease rates increase in a state, the level of racial and sexist bias significantly increases. Consistent with parasite-stress theory, we argue that focusing on reducing infectious disease rates in an area can have a plethora of benefits including improving physical and mental health and reducing biases that damage society.

The theory of cultural evolution by F. A. Hayek and evolutionary psychology (Part one)

The theory of cultural evolution by F. A. Hayek and evolutionary psychology (Part one)

Social learning in models and minds

After more than a century in which social learning was blackboxed by evolutionary biologists, psychologists and economists, there is now a thriving industry in cognitive neuroscience producing computational models of learning from and about other agents. This is a hugely positive development. The tools of computational cognitive neuroscience are rigorous and precise. They have the potential to prise open the black box. However, we argue that, from the perspective of a scientific realist, these tools are not yet being applied in an optimal way. To fulfil their potential, the shiny new methods of cognitive neuroscience need to be better coordinated with old-fashioned, contrastive experimental designs. Inferences from model complexity to cognitive complexity, of the kind made by those who favour lean interpretations of behaviour (‘associationists’), require social learning to be tested in challenging task environments. Inferences from cognitive complexity to social specificity, made by those who favour rich interpretations (‘mentalists’), call for non-social control experiments. A parsimonious model that fits current data is a good start, but carefully designed experiments are needed to distinguish models that tell us how social learning could be done from those that tell us how it is really done.

An Evolutionary Perspective on the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders

Recent work has nested the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) within several theoretical paradigms of personality and clinical psychology (e.g., multivariate, psychodynamic). This has both spurred on additional research and aided in practical application. Connecting the model to other theoretical heuristics may lead to further advances. One candidate for such a theory is that of evolutionary psychology, which attempts to provide explanations of human behavior (including personality traits) rooted in adaptation. In this article, we review and integrate the theoretical and empirical literature on the AMPD and evolutionary psychology, providing a synthesis of the two models in the hope of furthering the research and application of both.

The Scientific Revolution of Evolutionary Psychology: Current Status and Future Directions. A Commentary on Zagaria (2024)

The Scientific Revolution of Evolutionary Psychology: Current Status and Future Directions. A Commentary on Zagaria (2024)

Psychological and cultural effects of different kinds of danger. An exploration based on survey data from 79 countries

AbstractIndividual danger and collective danger have very different effects according to the predictions of a theory called regality theory, based on evolutionary psychology. This study explores the effects of different kinds of danger on 37 different indicators of psychological and cultural responses to danger based on data from two waves of the World Values Survey, including 173,000 respondents in 79 countries.The results show that individual danger and collective danger have very different – and often opposite – psychological and cultural effects. Collective dangers are positively correlated with many indicators related to authoritarianism, nationalism, discipline, intolerance, morality, religiosity, etc. Individual dangers have neutral or opposite correlations with many of these indicators. Infectious diseases have little or no effects on these indicators. Many previous studies that confound different kinds of danger may be misleading.Several psychological and cultural theories are discussed in relation to these results. The observed effects of collective danger are in agreement with many of these theories while individual danger has unexpected effects. The findings are not in agreement with terror management theory and pathogen stress theory.

Analyzing Incels through the lens of evolutionary psychology

AbstractIncels, also known as “involuntary celibates,” are an online subculture comprised of mostly heterosexual men who describe themselves as unable to obtain a sexual partner despite their desire and effort to do so. The group often externalizes the reasons for this failure, blaming societal structures and ideals as well as feminist movements. In recent years, some within this subculture have become radicalized. The violent ideologies of Incels have been linked to several mass shootings, including those committed by Elliot Rodger and Jake Davison. Although some Incels have attempted to use evolutionary psychology to justify their anger and ideology, this paper aims to turn the evolutionary lens back on Incels to explore Incels' core features of misogyny, group identity, suicidality and violence. Incels attempt to establish and maintain a social “in-group,” strive to eliminate sexual competition, and attempt to bypass female mate choice. The paper explores how Incels use of evolutionary psychology principles and highlights the benefits that studying Incels, both in general and through an evolutionary lens, can yield.

An Evolutionary Psychological Approach Toward BDSM Interest and Behavior

Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, and Sadism/Masochism (BDSM) have gained increased attention and discussion in recent years. This prevalence is accompanied by a shift in perceptions of BDSM, including the declassification of sadomasochism as a paraphilic disorder. Evolutionary psychology offers a unique perspective of why some individuals are interested in BDSM and why some prefer certain elements of BDSM over others (e.g., dominance versus submission). In this paper, we examine BDSM from an evolutionary standpoint, examining biopsychosocial factors that underlie the BDSM interests and practice. We articulate this perspective via an exploration of: proximate processes, such as the role of childhood experiences, sexual conditioning, and physiological factors; as well as ultimate explanations for power play and pain play dimensions of BDSM, highlighting the potential adaptive advantages of each. While BDSM may not be adaptive in itself, we examine the literature of sex differences in BDSM role preferences and argue that these preferences may stem from the extreme forms of behaviors which enhance reproductive success. In the realm of pain play, we explore the intersection of pain and pleasure from both physiological and psychological perspectives, highlighting the crucial role of psychological and play partner factors in modulating the experience of pain. Finally, we encourage future research in social sciences to utilize evolutionary frameworks to further explore the subject and help alleviate the mystification surrounding BDSM. This multifaceted exploration of BDSM provides valuable insights for clinicians, kink-identified individuals, and scholars seeking to understand the evolutionary perspectives of human sexual behavior and preferences.

How Parenting Style Varies Between the Sexualities and Cultures in the Aspects of Evolutionary Psychology

From the perspective of evolutionary psychology, the evolution of human parenting styles is delved into, considering various mechanisms and factors influencing it. The primary focus is placed on how these parenting styles have been changed over time and influenced by different cultures.The paper analyzes five key evolutionary mechanisms and their impact on parenting styles.The first mechanism explores how the transition from polygamous mating to normative monogamy in history increased paternal investment in offspring. The second mechanism delves into how cultural differences between Eastern and Western societies have shaped distinct parenting styles. The third evolutionary mechanism examines how different family structures have led to variations in child-rearing approaches.The fourth point discusses how the progress of women's status in society has brought about shifts in marital dynamics and parenting practices. Lastly, building upon the fourth evolutionary mechanism, the paper analyzes the relationship between the advancement of women's status, increased divorce rates, and the consequent influence on parenting styles within single-parent families.The overarching conclusion drawn from this paper is that human parenting styles, from ancient nomadic periods to contemporary societies, have evolved in response to various evolutionary mechanisms and changing environmental factors. Parenting decisions are intricately tied to specific temporal, spatial, and environmental contexts, ultimately serving the goals of reproduction and survival. Valuable insights into the evolution of parenting styles have been provided, emphasizing the importance of considering a variety of influences when studying human behavior.

The matching problem for evolutionary psychiatry

ABSTRACT Evolutionary psychiatry suggests that mental disorders can be explained in evolutionary terms (a) as failures of psychological mechanisms to produce the adaptive effects for which they were naturally selected, (b) as mismatches between naturally selected psychological mechanisms and contemporary environmental pressures, or (c) as naturally selected psychological mechanisms whose effects continue to be adaptive. In this paper, I present a philosophical critique of evolutionary psychiatry that draws on Subrena Smith’s matching problem for evolutionary psychology. For evolutionary psychiatry hypotheses to be empirically supported, proponents of evolutionary psychiatry must demonstrate (1) that the contemporary psychological mechanisms involved in mental disorders resemble the psychological mechanisms of our evolutionary ancestors, (2) that the contemporary psychological mechanisms are phylogenetically descended from the ancestral psychological mechanisms, and (3) that the ancestral psychological mechanisms were naturally selected because their effects had adaptive benefits. However, for many mental disorders, evolutionary psychiatry lacks the methodological resources to demonstrate these conditions. Therefore, many evolutionary psychiatry hypotheses are empirically untestable and remain indefinitely underdetermined by data.

Connection Between Socioeconomic Status and Behavioral Well-being: A Closer Look at Eating and Sleep Disorders

This paper aims to investigate whether there is a correlation between individuals socioeconomic status and the prevalence and severity of eating and sleeping disorders. The current study attempts to explain this link from an evolutionary psychology perspective. This study discusses past literature that showed the prevalence and severity of eating and sleeping disorders positively or negatively correlating with factors like mating, social impacts and working, then predicts a positive correlation between a less commonly investigated factor, socioeconomic status, and the prevalence and severity of eating and sleeping disorders. The research proposal suggests that in a correlational study, 1000 participants will complete a questionnaire as a measurement of their socioeconomic status and the prevalence and severity of eating and/or sleeping disorders. A longitudinal study will follow up the data for 12 months. A multiple regression will be conducted. If results are found significant, implications of our findings could be applied both socially and clinically. If a non-significant result is found, the direction of future studies is suggested, including using multiple research methods for further investigation and attempting to establish a causal relationship between the chosen variables.

On the unity of knowledge: Integrating scientific and humanistic approaches in evolutionary psychology and a call for papers for a special issue on consilience.

On the unity of knowledge: Integrating scientific and humanistic approaches in evolutionary psychology and a call for papers for a special issue on consilience.

Exploring the Evolution of Educational Methods: Perspectives from Imaginative Culture and Human Nature

Education is a fundamental pillar in human development, and its evolution throughout history has been influenced by a variety of factors, including imaginative culture and human nature. In this study, we explore how educational methods have evolved in response to the interaction between these two aspects. We look at how human creativity, imagination, and adaptation have influenced the way we teach and learn, from early forms of knowledge transmission to more contemporary approaches focused on active student engagement and the development of practical skills. Our research is based on a comprehensive review of the academic literature in the fields of education, evolutionary psychology, cultural anthropology, and imagination studies. We explore how societies have used imagination as a tool to transmit knowledge and values, as well as to foster creativity and individual expression. We also examine how adaptive aspects of human nature, such as the ability to learn collaboratively and adapt to changing environments, have influenced the way educational methods are designed. Our results show a clear evolution in educational methods over time, from approaches focused on the one-way transmission of knowledge to more interactive and participatory models that encourage exploration and discovery. We identify common patterns in the way societies have used imagination and adaptation to promote learning and socialization and discuss the implications of these findings for contemporary education. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between imaginative culture, human nature, and education. It provides a solid foundation for the design of educational methods that harness the innate creativity and adaptability of human beings and offers guidance for educators and policymakers on how to promote meaningful and lasting learning in today's world.