Evolutionary Psychology Theory Research Articles

The Egalitarian Conditions of Just Happiness: A Rawlsian Approach to Pluralistic Well-Being

What role can political institutions play in reconciling the demands of justice with the desire for happiness in diverse societies? The increased measurement and politicization of well-being in recent decades has left many multicultural democracies struggling to support their citizens’ happiness while respecting the value of pluralism. Drawing on John Rawls’s theories of social and developmental psychology, as well as empirical research on the social determinants of well-being, this paper develops a conceptual and normative framework for understanding and addressing this challenge. Conceptually, the paper describes how political institutions function as “infrastructures of feeling” that shape the psychological dispositions and moral sensibilities of those living under them. Normatively, the paper argues that institutions reflecting Rawls’s liberal egalitarian conception of justice are uniquely capable of supporting happiness while affirming pluralism. This “experience-oriented egalitarianism” offers an original account of the connections between institutional design, public policy, moral psychology, and social justice, with direct implications for policymaking in multicultural democracies. The paper therefore concludes by offering several prescriptive recommendations for addressing the infrastructural origins of the “happiness crises” emerging in many diverse societies.

Cultural Evolutionary Psychology as Generalization by Recursion

AbstractCultural evolutionary psychology (CEP) accounts for the cultural evolution of cognition. It is based on evolutionary psychology and cultural evolutionary theory and aims at a synthetic attempt which is achieved by what we want to call ‘generalization by recursion’. We argue in this paper that the evolutionary psychology program as a whole could greatly benefit from CEP’s generalization. As we will show, there is one theoretical element in particular, that CEP relevantly generalizes in contrast to its predecessors. It comes from cultural evolutionary theory and has been referred to as the ‘dual inheritance argument’. CEP’s novelty consists in showing that not only cognitive products (‘grist’) but also cognitive mechanisms (‘mills’) are subject to cultural evolution and provides lots of empirical evidence for this claim. This account is ‘recursive’, because CEP’s generalization of the dual inheritance argument theoretically employs a recursive feedback-loop between cultural learning and cultural evolution. We also argue that this account might be considered to supersede unificatory and reductionistic efforts of its competitors, because it is stronger than purely structural or analogical unification while at the same time it is not too strong in order to fall prey to implausible reductionism.

GENDER STEREOTYPES AND ITS PSYCOLOGICAL IMPACT PORTRAYED IN MULAN 1998 MOVIE

Gender stereotypes are beliefs about individuals’ traits and behaviors based on gender. These preconceptions of gender stereotypes influenced society and shaped individual beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. This study examines the psychological impact of gender stereotypes towards Mulan as reflected in the Mulan (1998) movie. More specifically, this study aims to determine the psychological impact of negative stereotypes on women that are embedded in the beliefs of a patriarchal society. This research applies Erik Erikson’s developmental psychology theory to examine the psychological impact of gender stereotypes on Mulan as an adolescent girl. This study analyzed the data consisting of words, sentences, and dialogues using a qualitative approach. The data was collected through several steps, such as watching and reading the movie script, identifying, and classifying. Based on the findings of this study, Mulan’s psychological development is impacted by gender stereotypes in several aspects, including low self-esteem, future career, and social roles.

Possible evidence for the Law of General Intelligence in honeybees (Apis mellifera)

Finke, Scheiner, Giurfa, and Avarguès-Weber (2023) published correlational data on the performance of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in three learning tasks (associative, reversal, and negative patterning, capturing the domains of operant conditioning, executive-functioning-like ability, and inhibition plus configural processing, respectively) evaluated under both visual and olfactory stimulus conditions. They speculate that general cognitive ability (GCA) may be weakly causing all-positive correlations between performance in these different learning modalities, but do not formally test this possibility. A factor-analytic model applied to Finke et al. (2023) data revealed the presence of two perfectly congruent GCA factors (one for each stimulus condition). Both exhibited all-positive loadings, with the visual factor accounting for 46.8% of the performance variance and the olfactory factor accounting for 52.3%. Diagnostic statistics confirmed that in both stimulus conditions, the correlation matrices were adequate for factor analysis. These findings support extant hypotheses that GCA influences covariation between cognitive measures in honeybees, and constitute the first formal potential demonstration of GCA in an invertebrate. It is argued that GCA might be ubiquitous with respect to metazoans possessing organized nervous systems, perhaps because it convergently evolved multiple times in independent phylogenies, this being a key prediction of Christopher Chabris' Law of General Intelligence. Indeed, GCA has now been identified in insect, avian, mammal, and fish taxa. Some “primordial” aspects of GCA may even by basal to metazoans, and experiments employing Caenorhabditis elegans are suggested that could potentially shed light on such aspects. The findings are also strikingly inconsistent with evolutionary and comparative psychological theories positing a “modules first” understanding of cognitive evolution, such as one recent proposal that smaller brains cannot accommodate structures that give rise to GCA. Other theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Digital data and personality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of human perception and computer prediction.

In recent years, our increasing use of technology has resulted in the production of vast amounts of data. Consequently, many researchers have analyzed digital data in attempt to understand its relationship with individuals' personalities. Such endeavors have inspired efforts from divergent fields, resulting in widely dispersed findings that are seldom synthesized. In this two-part study, we draw from two distinct areas of personality prediction across psychology and computer science to explore the convergent validity of self-reports with human perception and machine learning algorithms, the identifiability of the Big Five traits, and the predictability of different types of data. In Study 1, five meta-analyses of human perception studies integrating findings from 24,124 individuals rated across 30 independent samples demonstrated moderate convergent validity across all traits (ranging from ρ = 0.38 for Neuroticism, to ρ = 0.57 for Openness). In Study 2, a multilevel meta-analysis of computer prediction studies reporting 534 effect sizes across 42 studies also demonstrated moderate convergent validity (ρ = 0.30). Multivariate analyses of the significant moderators highlighted that X, Facebook, Sina Weibo, videos, and smartphones had a negative impact on the variance identified. Finally, in synthesizing the extant literature, we discuss the measures used to assess personality and the analytical approaches adopted. We identify the strengths and limitations across each field and explain how interdisciplinary methodologies could advance the testing and development of psychological theory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Incorporating Evidence-Based Gamification and Machine Learning to Assess Preschool Executive Function: A Feasibility Study.

Computerized assessments and digital games have become more prevalent in childhood, necessitating a systematic investigation of the effects of gamified executive function assessments on performance and engagement. This study examined the feasibility of incorporating gamification and a machine learning algorithm that adapts task difficulty to individual children's performance into a traditional executive function task (i.e., Flanker Task) with children ages 3-5. The results demonstrated that performance on a gamified version of the Flanker Task was associated with performance on the traditional version of the task and standardized academic achievement outcomes. Furthermore, gamification grounded in learning science and developmental psychology theories applied to a traditional executive function measure increased children's task enjoyment while preserving psychometric properties of the Flanker Task. Overall, this feasibility study indicates that gamification and adaptive machine learning algorithms can be successfully incorporated into executive function assessments with young children to increase enjoyment and reduce data loss with developmentally appropriate and intentional practices.

Mindfulness, Phenomenology, and Psychological Science

Most present-day research on mindfulness treats mindfulness as a variable that is studied in relation to other variables. Although this research may provide us with important knowledge at the population level and mechanism level, it contributes little to our understanding of the phenomenon of mindfulness as it is experienced and enacted at the person level. The present paper takes a person-oriented phenomenological perspective on mindfulness, comparing this perspective with that of von Fircks’ (2023). In a first part of the paper, mindfulness is discussed as a phenomenological practice that can be studied by means of experimental phenomenology. It is argued that there is room for the development of an immense variety of personalized mindfulness practices that may serve people’s health and well-being. The second part of the paper contains a brief discussion of the possible role of mindful observation and reflection in psychological research. It is argued that mindfulness skills may be important both for improving the quality of phenomenological observation and to facilitate creative thinking in connection with the development of psychological theory. A main implication is that an integration between mindfulness and phenomenology may serve as an important part of this process.

Reprint: In a Different Voice: Women's Conceptions of Self and of Morality

As theories of developmental psychology continue to define educational goals and practice, it has become imperative for educators and researchers to scrutinize not only the underlying assumptions of such theories but also the model of adulthood toward which they point. Carol Gilligan examines the limitations of several theories, most notably Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development, and concludes that developmental theory has not given adequate expression to the concerns and experience of women. Through a review of psychological and literary sources, she illustrates the feminine construction of reality. From her own research data, interviews with women contemplating abortion, she then derives an alternative sequence for the development of women's moral judgments. Finally, she argues for an expanded conception of adulthood that would result from the integration of the “feminine voice” into developmental theory.

LEARNING AND SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT IN THE HISTORICAL EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

The purpose of this article is to present studies on development and learning about the thoughts of philosophical scholars such as Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and Henrique Wallon, and the theories of Jean Piaget and Henry Wallon are the most complete and articulated theories of psychological development. Piaget denies that his theory is a theory of learning, classifying it as a theory of development. Unlike these two scholars Vygotsky criticizes the theories that separate learning from development. It seeks to understand the origin and development of psychological processes throughout individual history. It places human development, learning and the relationships between development and learning as central themes in their work. The text also brings information about Paulo Freire’s theories about the teaching-learning process. It also reflects on the role of the teacher in teaching learning; The history of education in Brazil; The social role of the school as well as the Brazilian pedagogical trends: traditional, renewed, technicist, liberating and critico-social of the contents. For this we orient ourselves through the scholars mentioned above among other relevant names that study and debate the subject under study.

Embracing Psychology for Theology: The Role of Developmental Theories in Christian Spiritual Formation

Spiritual formation is a critical component in faith development toward Christlikeness. When the Christians are no longer growing, they are actively dying. Therefore, various efforts need to be made to help Christians grow. However, many spiritual formation efforts are still segregated, fragmented, or isolated from other discourses. This approach tends to focus only on the spiritual dimension and ignores that an individual has complex dimensions that cannot be separated from one another. To realize a more holistic spiritual formation, this article explores some developmental psychological theories to find approaches that might help to nurture the faith of believers holistically. The research method employed for this research is descriptive qualitative. Data collection was done by library research on various developmental theories from various developmentalists. From the results of the investigation, the author found different insights to realize more effective spiritual formation, namely by involving the community as a social context, taking into account every human dimension, giving space to the process, accommodating the nature of spiritual growth as multi-faceted and multi-directional, and presenting various experiences in the process of forming spiritual disciplines.

DAMPAK GAME ONLINE TERHADAP KARAKTER ISISWA MENGACU ETIKA KEUTAMAAN BHAGAWAD GITA DI SMP NEGERI 1 SUKASADA BULELENG BALI

ABSTRACT In this modern era, online games are no stranger to the ears of teenagers. In the last10 years, electronic games or what is often referred to as online games have mushroomed everywhere. This is supported by the many game centers in the neighborhood, which offeraf fordable prices for teenagers. However, gadgets/smartphones are also increasingly sophisticated and offer so many games, both offline and online games. Online game players are usually dominated by students, starting from elementary, junior high, high school, university students, and even adults. Students who often play online games will cause them to become addicted. The formulation of the problem consists of: 1) Why do online games have a impact on the character of students at SMP Negeri 1 Sukasada, Buleleng Regency? 2) What characters are affected by the existence of online games in students at SMP Negeri 1 Sukasada, Buleleng Regency? 3) What are the efforts to overcome the negative impact of online games on students at SMP Negeri 1 Sukasada?The theory used to dissect is Developmental Psychology Theory, Behaviorism Theory, Character Theory, then this research is classified as a qualitative research with descriptive analysis with an experimental approach so that the researcher is the key instrument. Data collection techniques were carried out using triangulation, data analysis was inductive in nature and the results of qualitative research emphasized meaning rather than generalization. Primary data sources are from field observations and in-depth interviews with teachers and students who are considered to know the studies in this study. Secondary data sources in this study come from documents, namely in the form of written data such as books or literature related to the study of the problem. Informants were determined by purposive sampling, namely those who were really involved in it. From the results of data analysis, it can be found that the internet-based learning method at SMP Negeri 1 Sukasada has changed the negative impact of the internet into a positive direction. In the realm of parents also make breakthroughs and supervision in gadget-based learning at home in order to increase the achievement index in student learning. And by reducing the hours of online play, it can shape the social character of students. Keywords: Impact, Online Game, Student Character

Two Voices on the Credibility Crisis in Psychology

While various shortcomings and flaws in the conduct of research and analysis of results in psychology and other social sciences have been recognized for a long time, recent years have witnessed greater prevalence and wider scope of this criticism. There are also more proposals for improvement. In this article, we focus on selected, key areas of the credibility crisis in psychology. Piotr Wolski discusses those related to the improper understanding and application of significance tests, while Arkadiusz Białek characterizes some of the research practices that undermine the credibility of psychological studies and demonstrates how to counteract them. Although the use of good research practices can improve the reproducibility and replicability of research results, the proposed reform should also encompass the way theories are developed. The discussed proposal for theory development in psychology leads to a series of practical steps. Unlike the hypothetico-deductive model, it starts with the identification and description of the phenomenon. The explanation of the phenomenon formulated through abduction is then formalized in mathematical equations or computer simulations and verified. Adhering to good research practices and proper theory development has the potential to provide psychology with more solid foundations and make it a cumulatively evolving science.

Thomas Kuhn, Stefan Amsterdamski, and the Cycles of Scientific Development

In his most seminal work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas S. Kuhn advances a notion that science is embedded in historically contingent constellations of practices and ideas. In this view, history is part and parcel of science. Science develops by transforming that, which it emerges from – a theme later picked up by Polish philosopher of science, Stefan Amsterdamski. Kuhn also noticed important parallels between psychological and historical development. These insights have led him to the conclusion that what scientists do and what the science does are two different things. Scientific development is discontinuous in the sense that it cannot be measured by any external standard. Science is therefore its own judge. This paper identifies critical shortcomings of Kuhn’s theory of psychological development, which most affect his vision of scientific development. Subsequently, the problem of development is recast in terms of dynamic system theory or embodied cognition. The ensuing insights are organized into a cyclical model, with two main trajectories: one creative, the other generative. It is argued that the cyclical approach permits to overcome the dualisms, which plagued Kuhn’s original account (engagement versus criticism, creativity versus rule-following, etc.) and to further develop Amsterdamski’s idea that absent universal norms or standards, criticism and rationality are nonetheless possible.

Application of Design Thinking Method in Educational Card Design "Sobat Saleh"

: In developmental psychology theory, students are late adolescents who need to have problem-solving skills (Sahrah, 2019). Itis necessary to be trained in order to become a capable, creative and independent person in accordance with the goals of Indonesian national education. However, in the learning process in the studio class, the DKV study program which has the purpose of learning to hone students' thinking skills, often has difficulty solving a problem. A study that has been conducted previously that it is known that aspects of methods in solving problems are still confusing for students (Ulita &; Hananto, 2022). The research outlines that some students are still not fully aware of how to apply the method in designing. Therefore, this journal will describe the form of application of design thinking methods in a case study of designing an educational card game "Sobat Saleh" that can help student design learning that provides an overview of the process of solving problems into a design idea. Starting from data collection, analytical techniques and thinking processes as well as the form of application of the design thinking design method. Thus, it can be observed more deeply the patterns carried out in efforts to apply the design thinking method so as to help students more easily have the ability to solve problems with the method. The ability of critical thinking and creative things in solving problems can support the design logic that is needed by a designer when doing a design.

Preference for Averaging in East Asian Faces: A Source of Potential Guidance in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Relatively little research has been done on the application of objective tools in guiding Ethnic Plastic Surgery in Asian patients. The evolutionary psychology theory of koinophilia, or love of average features, presents the basis for a solution to build a foundation for crowd-sourced East Asian aesthetic standards. The authors hypothesize that the averaged composite face in a cohort will be viewed as significantly more attractive than their respective cohort. Cohorts were created based on the gender of the individual in the photograph (40 females and 40 males of East Asian descent). Two surveys were created, 1 for the female cohort and the other for the male. The surveys assessed the aesthetic preference of each photograph using a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 7. Surveys were distributed using the popular crowdsourcing program Amazon Mechanical Turk (Amazon, Seattle, WA). The authors received 875 respondents for the male cohort survey and 876 respondents for the female cohort survey. For both the female and male cohorts, the composite images had a statistically significantly higher rating (P < .001) than the mean of the other images. Among other significant demographic findings, when considering both ethnicity and location of residence, Asian raters living in Asia preferred the composite significantly more than Asian raters living in North America (P < .001). Raters' preference for the composite average face is in concordance with the evolutionary psychology literature. Thus, this study affirms the utility of using facial composites to guide surgeons in identifying aesthetic standards for patients of East Asian descent.

Penilaian dan Pengukuran Hasil Belajar Mengajar Perspektif Psikologi Perkembangan

This article discusses the importance of evaluating and measuring teaching and learning outcomes from a developmental psychology perspective. Developmental psychology plays an important role in understanding how people learn and develop over time and in identifying the factors that influence learning outcomes. This article discusses several developmental psychology theories that are important for the evaluation and measurement of learning outcomes, the methods used in the evaluation and measurement, as well as challenges and solutions for the evaluation and measurement of learning outcomes. Hopefully, this article can provide new knowledge for teachers and researchers about how to optimize the teaching and learning process and improve student learning outcomes. Evaluation is a process or activity that provides information about the quality, quantity, and meaning of an observed phenomenon or event. Thorndike defines measurement as the process of generating quantitative information about the nature or characteristics of an object, event, or individual through measurement. According to Thorndike, measurement is the process of producing objective quantitative information about the trait or characteristic being measured. According to Gronlund (2006), teaching and learning outcomes are students' abilities to apply knowledge, skills, and attitudes learned in real-life situations. According to Mulyasa (2013), teaching and learning outcomes are the attainment of learning objectives as measured by students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes. According to Papalia and Feldman (2011), developmental psychology studies the changes that occur in humans during their life span, from childhood to old age.

A Társas Tanulás Technológia bevezetése Erdélyben

The Social Learning organization technology combines the latest theories in neuroscience, organization sociology, social psychology, developmental and group psychology, reform pedagogy, etc. with the biblical commandment of love. 40 years of practical experience have shown that it multiplies the performance of students, while their personalities and social relationships develop significantly. Research integrating the results of the disciplines and successful experiments in school practice over several decades have made it possible to disseminate this pedagogical innovation in Transylvania.

The Mechanisms of Royal Generosity (1939–1760 BCE)

Abstract Gift-giving was, and in many societies still is, one of the key social phenomena. The gifts were more than just goods given to somebody. Economically they represent an important means to procure needed goods. Socially, they expressed relationships between donors and recipients and was among the means for an individual to exercise power over another. The present study is conceived as a first step to understanding the complex problem of gift-giving during the Middle Kingdom. Its main aim is to outline the patterns of royal generosity visible in the Twelfth Dynasty (c.1939–1760 BCE) textual sources and to contextualize them with respect to the general findings of evolutionary psychology and Social Exchange Theory.

Menses and Positive Partner Interactions Increase Mate Guarding Behaviors in Established Romantic Couples

Mate Guarding (Alberts et al., 1996), behaviors intended to decrease a romantic partner’s sexual access to potential extradyadic partners (e.g., touching partner around others, not attending gatherings), are thought to change throughout the menstrual cycle. Rooted in theories suggesting ovulating women’s sexual interest/behaviors increase during times of fertility, couples increase their mate guarding behaviors to limit reproductive costs (Gangestad et al., 2006). Yet, much of the research fails to examine mate guarding behaviors and fertility in established, committed couples. Using an ecological momentary assessment, romantically committed, heterosexual couples (n = 42 pairs) completed daily surveys tracking relationship dynamics for one menstrual cycle (e.g., 28 days; all naturally cycling). Dependent t-tests showed mate guarding behaviors increased during menses compared to ovulation (women, t = 4.5, p <.001; men, t = 3.5, p<.001), but positive couple interactions were unchanged. We tested actor-partner effects between positive daily partner interactions and mate guarding during menses and ovulation. Positive actor effects were found for both (menses women ß = 3.276, p <.001, men ß = 3.049, p =.002; ovulation women ß = 1.637, p =.041, men ß = 3.089, p =.011); whereas partner effects were only observed for men during ovulation (ß = 2.806, p =.006). Results demonstrate evolutionary psychological theories suggesting mate guarding increases during ovulation may not be predictive in established couples. For committed couples, times when female partners are unlikely to conceive are opportunities when couples demonstrate their fidelity.

Znaczenie procesu starzenia się dla efektywności regulacji afektywnej w kontekście odbioru muzyki (przegląd badań)

The article focuses on the importance of the age factor for the effectiveness of affective regulation in the context of music perception in relation to the previous research review. Numerous non-musical studies confirm that older adults, experiencing various difficulties associated with the aging process, paradoxically enjoy better affective well-being in their everyday life than young adults, who do not experience the aforementioned difficulties. This phenomenon is also reflected in most of the results of the few studies conducted so far on the importance of the age factor for affective response to music. Taking into account the results of most of these studies, it should be pointed out that older adults are able to regulate their own affective state in the context of music perception more effectively than young adults. The above-mentioned phenomenon can be interpreted in relation to the developmental psychology theories – Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (including the positivity effect) by Carstensen, as well as to Selective Optimization with Compensation by Baltes and Baltes.