Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring
How did our brains change over the course of evolution, and what did it mean for our ancestors? Why do we behave the way we do today? Evolutionary psychology is the only framework that allows us to fully understand the nuances of humans' motivations, emotions, cognitions, and behaviours. Our bodies have evolved over time, and so too have our brains. How we respond to situations emotionally, our thoughts, our motivations, and our behaviours have a deep heritage based on the successes of our ancestors in meeting their survival or reproductive needs.
In this Very Short Introduction Maryanne L. Fisher and T. Joel Wade unfold the intriguing idea that our brain, like every other body part, has been shaped over time by natural and sexual selection. Fisher and Wade consider the contexts in which our ancestors thrived and explore how people today think and act using an evolutionary compass. This research-oriented exploration addresses diverse topics, organised into chapters on the principles underlying this approach, survival issues, group alliances, aggression, family dynamics, and mating strategies. It touches on a broad array of topics like fears, disgust, attraction, sibling conflict, friendship, and homicide.
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Höhe: 174 mm
Breite: 111 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-19-882793-1 (9780198827931)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Maryanne L. Fisher is a Professor and Santamarian Research Chair in the Department of Psychology at Saint Mary's University. Her books include Evolution's Empress: Darwinian Perspectives on the Nature of Women (editor, 2013) and The Oxford Handbook of Women and Competition (editor, 2017). Her research is regularly in media outlets including the BBC, CNN, CBC, and Discovery.
T. Joel Wade is a Presidential Professor in the Department of Psychology at Bucknell University. His research focuses on mate attraction, mate selection, mate expulsion, love, and relationships. He has published numerous articles in social psychology and evolutionary psychology journals, and his research has been covered in media outlets including the BBC, CNN, CBC, and numerous national and international news magazines.
Autor*in
Santamarian Chair of ScienceSantamarian Chair of Science, Saint Mary's University
Presidential Professor of PsychologyPresidential Professor of Psychology, Bucknell University
Acknowledgements
List of illustrations
1: What is Evolutionary Psychology?
2: The Evolutionary Psychology Framework
3: Issues for Survival
4: Groups and Alliances
5: Aggression
6: Children and Family
7: Long-term Mating
8: Short-term Mating
Further reading
Index
