Evolutionary Psychology (eBook)

A Critical Introduction

Christopher Badcock (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF | EPUB

2013
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-0-7456-7674-6 (ISBN)

Infos

According to evolutionary biologists, we are the minders of our
genes. But, as Christopher Badcock points out in this book, it is
only recently that evolutionists have realized that minders need
minds, and that evolution needs psychology to fill the yawning gap
between genes and behaviour.

Evolutionary Psychology assumes no prior knowledge of the
subject, and concentrates on the fundamental issues raised by the
application of modern Darwinism to psychology. Basic concepts of
evolution are explained carefully, so that the reader has a sound
grasp of them before their often controversial application to
psychology is discussed. The approach is a critical one, and the
author does not hide the many difficulties that evolutionary
psychology raises. Examples include the strange neglect of Darwin's
own writings on psychology, and the fact that no existing theory
has succeeded in explaining why the human brain evolved in the
first place.

The book is the first to give a non-technical account of
remarkable new findings about the roles that conflicting genes play
in building different parts of the brain. It is also the first to
consider the consequences of this for controversies like those over
nature/nurture, IQ, brain lateralization and consciousness.

Evolutionary Psychology is based on many years
experience of teaching evolution and psychology to social science
students, and is intended for all who wish to get to grips with the
basic issues of one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas
of modern science.

Autor

Christopher Badcock is Reader in Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Inhalt

TABLE OF CONTENTS, Preface, Acknowledgements, Chapter 1 SELECTION
AND ADAPTATION The concept of evolution, Natural selection,
Survival of the fittest, Three assumptions about adaptations, The
EEA, The argument from design, Design flaws in evolution, The Swiss
army knife model of the mind, The triune brain, The costs and
benefits of human brain evolution, The evolutionary psychology of
evolutionary psychology. Chapter 2 GENETICS AND EPIGENETICS:
Inheritance and acquired characteristics, Blending inheritance and
mutation, Mendel, the discovery of DNA, The genetic code,
Development and preformation, Epigenesis, The role of the single
Gene, Genetic and environmental determinism, The problem with
programming behaviour, Epigenetic agents, Chapter 3 THE EVOLUTION
& PSYCHOLOGY OF CO-OPERATION: Super-organisms and group
selection, Individualism in groups, The problem of altruism,
Hamilton's inequality, Kin altruism, Inclusive fitness, Prisoner's
dilemma, Iterated prisoner's dilemma, Familiarity and reputation,
The evolved psychology of reciprocity, Cognitive adaptations for
social exchange. Chapter 4 MIND, EMOTION AND CONSCIOUSNESS:
Anti-mentalism, Autism and theory of mind, Darwin's three
principles of the expression of the emotions, Evolutionary
psychology and The Expression of the Emotions, The pleasure
principle, Freud and Darwin, Triver's evolutionary psychodynamics
of consciousness, Divided consciousness, Mental topography &
brain lateralization, Chapter 5 SEX, MATING AND PARENTAL
INVESTMENT: Sex and parental investment, Variance of reproductive
success, Mating systems, Divorce and remarriage, Human sexual
adaptations, Mating preferences, Sex, scent and the selfish gene,
Sex ratios, Sex discrimination, abortion and infanticide in humans.
Chapter 6 GROWTH, DEVELOPMEMT AND CONFLICT: Parent-offspring
conflict, Genomic imprinting, Conflict in pregnancy, Imprinted
genes and brain development, Postnatal depression, Weaning
conflicts, Psychological conflict between parent and child, Genetic
conflict and Freudian psychodynamics, The evolution of ambivalence.
Chapter 7 NATURE, NURTURE, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE: Evolutionary
psychology and the SSSM, Memes, Conditioning, The nurture
assumption, Language, Turner's syndrome, The nature of nurture.
Glossary of technical terms, References, Index

Rezensionen

'Christopher Badcock has produced the most thorough integration of
modern genetics and human behaviour to appear. This stimulating
book will be valued by those who want an up to date treatment of
modern genetics and human behaviour and who value a bit of
controversy and a touch of speculation in their reading.'
Charles Crawford, Simon Fraser University

'Once again Christopher Badcock has written a compulsively
readable book on an important topic. The application of Darwinian
evolutionary biology to our understanding of the human mind and our
social behaviour is producing cutting-edge science, and Badcock
explains the advances made and the problems remaining with skill
and insight. Knowledgeable both about the social sciences and the
discoveries of modern biology, this book offers a penetrating
analysis of the interacions between the branches of science.
Written in a clear and understandable style, Evolutionary
Psychology will surely be a standard work on the subject for
years to come.' Michael Ruse, University of Guelph

'Christopher Badcock's Evolutionary Psychology: A Critical
Introduction has got to be one of the better introductory texts
out there. It is a way into what can often be perceived as an
intimidating and overly science-based endeavour. It fact it is
extremely informed from within the natural sciences, but it is also
intensely fascinating ... Christopher Badcock has done an excellent
job introducing the public to a field that is often mired in high
academia and scientific obfuscation.' Self &
Society

'it contains excitement and vision that, when tempered by a
mature critic such as a teacher or tutor, make this book stand out
as one from which I should love to teach' Paul Harvey, Head of
Zoology, University of Oxford, The Times Higher Education
Supplement

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 31.5.2013
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Allgemeine Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Entwicklungspsychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Verhaltenstherapie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Evolution
• Schlagworte: application • badcock • BASIC • Behaviour • biologists • Book • Brain & Behavior: Physiological Psychology • Concepts • Darwinism • Evolution • evolutionists • fundamental • GAP • genes • Issues • Knowledge • minders • minds • Modern • often • Physiologische Psychologie • Points • Prior • Psychologie • Psychology • Reader • recently • Subject
• ISBN-10: 0-7456-7674-X / 074567674X
• ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-7674-6 / 9780745676746