Evolutionary Psychology Essays (Examples)

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" (Wikopedia, n.d.)
The social scientists moved from Freud to the idea of Pramatism. "Theodore Porter argued in "The ise of Statistical Thinking" that the effort to provide a synthetic social science is a matter of both administration and discovery combined, and that the rise of social science was, therefore, marked by both pragmatic needs as much as by theoretical purity." (Wikopedia n.d.)

An example of how the social science movement continues to gather new methodologies can be demonstrated by the various theories during different periods of time. In the early twentieth century, the main idea of the movement was focused on the ability of society to utilize statistical analysis. The movement came up with the notion of the Intelligence Quotient of the typical IQ test. This type of test was a measure of some unknown statistic but still a pragmatic prediction of potential success at certain tests or tasks. These tests….


Since males of all sexually reproducing species are naturally drawn to signs of fertility in females (Zuk 2002), they naturally express more interest in females when they ovulate, or come into heat in the vernacular applied to non-human animals. In many other species that do not rely as much on a monogamous pair bond for the survival of the fetus (Barash & Lipton 2001), females exhibit very clear external signals corresponding to their ovulation. This system is very well suited to species where a single male (or several) mate with many females, such as among lions and many mammals; in fact, it probably reduces any potential for conflict among harem females for male attention.

Human females replaced the outward signals of ovulation and fertility by evolving a suppression of any outward manifestation, precisely, to ensure that males provided for, guarded, and protected them continually rather than only that portion of the….

Sociology
Evolutionary psychology is a field with primary focus on areas such as memory, perception, behavior, and language. It is a field that has application for and draws interest from a variety of other fields within the hard and social sciences. esearchers and other experts in the field of evolutionary psychology contend that just as much as the human body and physical capabilities have adapted and altered over time as a result of an intersection of factors, so does the mind. Evolutionary psychology would contend that modern human behavior is a combination and result of a number of psychological adaptations that have occurred and recurred since the earliest human environments.

Evolutionary psychology is a theoretical explanation and predictor for aspects of the human condition or experience such as intelligence, emotions, cooperation, and other universal behaviors that occur across culture, location, and time. Therefore the area of psychology that is the subject of….


Evolutionary psychologists therefore explain current human behaviors, especially instinctive ones, in terms of adaptive successes. A baby would feel safer in the secure space of a crib rather than an expansive lawn. A small fluffy mouse initially presents no threat, as our human ancestors likely preyed on smaller animals. Loud noises, however, can mean danger, so a child instinctively cries in alarm.

Cognitive psychology

Cognitive psychologists look at the internal mental processes that enable humans to learn skills such as languages, memory and problem solving. Notive cognitive psychologist Jean Piaget believed that humans go through different stages of cognitive development, and each stage should be marked by the acquisition of certain skills. In the Sensorimotor stage, which last from birth through two years old, babies learn to move and master their different senses. At the preoperational stage, from ages two to seven, a child should master motor skills such as walking. From….

As explained by Gelles and Strauss in their works, "With the exception of the police and the military, the family is perhaps the most violent social group, and the home the most violent social setting, in our society. A person is more likely to be hit or killed in his or her home by another family member than anywhere else or by anyone else." (Gelles & Straus, 1985, p. 88). Therefore it is evident from this theory that the social connections and settings can impact upon a person's conduct and emotions and could force them to act violently, proving this theory to be true in explaining the biological connection with criminal behavior.
Another biological theory mentions that the gender differences, especially in cases of men, generate strings of violent reactions to the opposite gender. This theory argues that the natural superiority instincts in men push their brain functions to act….

They accuse Coyne of giving modern intellectuals "permission to remain biologically illiterate, through assuring them there is nothing useful or important that they could learn that would help them address the intellectual problems they face." (Tooby and Cosmides).
ithout undertaking an independent investigation of the evidence used to support each author's work, it is impossible to determine who makes the most valid arguments. However, if the facts listed argued by Tooby and Cosmides are true, then they do much to bolster the arguments made by Thornhill and Palmer. In fact, the arguments made by Thornhill and Palmer are very sound from a logical point-of-view, even if it is ultimately impossible to prove or disprove their hypothesis. That at least one species of animal has evolved a special organ specifically to accomplish rape clearly establishes that rape can be an evolutionary function and can be related to genetic evolutionary success. Furthermore,….


One of the most difficult challenges in applying evolutionary theory to the study of human behavior is determining the time frame in which to study human behavior as a form of adaptation. Evolution is a process that takes place over hundreds of thousands of years, and as such, evolutionary adaptations are often lagging far behind cultural and environmental changes. For example, the political climate of the United States might change every four years after an election, but babies born during a democratic presidency will not have adapted in an evolutionary sense such that their future offspring will be "more democratic" than republican. This time lag in evolution can create confusion when searching for evolutionary and adaptive explanations for human behavior and this problem arises mostly from the fact that our behavior we show today is likely a form of adaptation to an environment that existed hundreds or even thousands of….


Environmental Influences, Domain Specificity, and Heterozygous Potential:

Environmental influences have also contributed profoundly to human sexual behavior, which becomes particularly evident when one examines certain statistical tendencies pertaining to both conscious and unconscious choices in female mate selection (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005). As is the case with many sexually reproducing organisms, human females have evolved a marked preference for both physical and behavioral male traits consistent with the ability to provide physical protection and to garner both natural and social resources. Females of many species prefer male suitors who display characteristics such as large relative body size, robustness, good health, and those suggesting physical strength, aggressiveness, and leadership (Margulis & Sagan 1999).

Whereas some of those traits are observable externally (such as relative size), others are imperceptible on any conscious level. This is particularly true as regards heterozygous potential conducive to healthy offspring, such as the marked unconscious preference demonstrated by human….

Psychology
Throughout its history, psychology has undergone a number of evolutions. As the study of mind, the discipline has necessarily been subject to change as new research revealed information about the functions of the mind and its effect upon behavior. elatively simple conclusions drawn by those who are currently considered the founding fathers of psychology have been challenged and modified to become the various subdisciplines in psychology that we know today. Along with what can be considered the "mental" trends in psychology such as the behaviorist, psychoanalytic, the cognitive, and the evolutionary approaches, it has also been recognized that psychology has a firm basis in physiology.

In about 1913, the focus of psychology up-to-date profoundly changed as a result of work by the American psychologist John B. Watson. In an effort to bring more scientific merit to psychology, Watson advocated that the study of behavior should be used to draw conclusions….

Cultural Influence and Critical Thinking
No psychological perspective is really free of cultural biases, as every perspective is rooted in something, whether it is Freud's perspective rooted in his own cultural experience or Augustine's rooted in (more anciently) in his own. If cultural bias is defined as something by which a psychologist bases certain presumptions about life, the human mind, experience, etc., it is impossible to hold the view that any one psychological perspective has been developed that is free (i.e., cultivated in a vacuum) of any influence or impact from one's culture. Freud was no doubt influenced by German modernism (Enlightenment ideology coupled with omanticism) just as Augustine was no doubt influenced by Catholic teaching later in his life and the dualists in his younger life. To free a psychological perspective from culture is like freeing ice from water or divorcing a compound from its parts. Culture is to psychology….

Behavioral activities are more of reactions to stimuli and have less to do with cognitive (or brain) processes and more to do with how one acts in a certain environment. Some behavioral activities would include: 1) sitting quietly while in the classroom or in church; 2) opening the door for somebody to walk in ahead of you; 3) using good manners while at a restaurant; 4) helping an old lady cross the street; and, 5) picking up a child that is crying.
4) the following question requires you to write a short essay consisting of a few paragraphs. Compare and contrast structuralism and functionalism by discussing elements such as their definition, founders, and similarities and differences. Edward B. Tichener formally established and gave a name to structuralism, which was first based on Wilhel Wundt's ideas. Structuralism is the first school of psychology and focuses on breaking down the mental processes….


The nature vs. nurture debate is over whether an individual learns behaviors from their environment (nurture) or whether an individual is born with certain genetic traits and predispositions toward certain behaviors. Today, most developmental psychologists believe that nurture enhances nature: that while biology is important, environment probably trumps biology in most cases. One developmental process that can be explained by both genetics and environment is gender identity. Biology does affect certain aspects of gender and sexuality but environment and conditioning are very important factors in the development of an individual's gender identity.

4. How do maternal nutrition and alcohol use potentially affect the health of a fetus?

The heath of a fetus is directly related to maternal nutrition and fetal development is hindered by malnutrition or use of alcohol. Excess drinking by the mother can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, which may cause birth defects, mental health problems and hyperactivity in the child.….

Psychology
How have you been labeled as a child or as an adult, and how has this impacted your identity and performance?

As a child I was always labeled as intelligent. This impacted my identity by showing me how I was different from others (because of this special talent). When I became older, this established certain standards for academic performance. I used this to push myself to do more (based upon these beliefs).

Based on the newer, broader definitions of intelligence, (such as Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences), assess your own strengths and weaknesses. Do these definitions change the way you see yourself now?

These strengths and weaknesses are showing how I meet the various categories for intelligence (according to Gardner's theory). This based upon several predetermined criteria to include: the potential for brain isolation, the presence in core operations, a place in evolutionary history, distinct developmental progression, symbolic expression, the existence of exceptional….


Whereas the behaviorist and psychodynamic models contradict each other in their fundamental assumptions and focus, humanistic perspective does not necessarily contradict behaviorism or the psychodynamic approach, except that it considers both of those views as explanations of only portions of human behavior rather than all human behavior.

The Cognitive Perspective:

The Cognitive perspective broadens the study of human psychology even further than the humanistic perspective. In addition to considering all of the influential elements within the behaviorist, psychodynamic, and humanistic views, cognitive psychology also studies the combined contributions of knowledge, memory, previous experience, subconscious desires, external factors, and volitional thought on external behavior (Gerrig & Zimbardo 2005).

Cognitive psychology accepts many of the fundamental concepts of other schools of psychological thought, and much like the humanistic point-of-view, merely considers them incomplete explanations of human behavior rather than oppositional theories.

According to cognitive psychologists, even the most inclusive theories like humanistic psychology are limited in….

Nonetheless, an argument from common sense can be made based on our own observational context. For example, neurologically speaking, there is a wealth of evidence to illustrate that genes have an immense impact on the final structure of the brain, and thus on behavior. Schizophrenia is an obvious example of this.
Logically, though, there is also abundant support for Dawkins' thesis. oughly, an argument can be shown to be logically viable if its conclusions can be reasonably drawn from its suppositions based on the available evidence. This is abundantly the case in the Selfish Gene, wherein Dawkins (1976) draws on all the existing evidence on evolutionary theory and the development of life, including the mechanism of natural selection (p. 48) and DNA as the molecule of choice for genetic propagation (pp. 22-23). The evidence that Dawkins provides is, quite simply, sufficient to support his argument that the gene should be….

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8 Pages
Term Paper

Mythology - Religion

Evolutionary Psychology as the Bridge

Words: 2679
Length: 8 Pages
Type: Term Paper

" (Wikopedia, n.d.) The social scientists moved from Freud to the idea of Pramatism. "Theodore Porter argued in "The ise of Statistical Thinking" that the effort to provide a synthetic…

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10 Pages
Term Paper

Sports - Women

Evolutionary Psychology - Gender Differentiation

Words: 2781
Length: 10 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Since males of all sexually reproducing species are naturally drawn to signs of fertility in females (Zuk 2002), they naturally express more interest in females when they ovulate, or…

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3 Pages
Article Review

Psychology

Sociology Evolutionary Psychology Is a Field With

Words: 785
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Article Review

Sociology Evolutionary psychology is a field with primary focus on areas such as memory, perception, behavior, and language. It is a field that has application for and draws interest from…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Children

Psychological Perspectives - Evolutionary Psychology

Words: 614
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Evolutionary psychologists therefore explain current human behaviors, especially instinctive ones, in terms of adaptive successes. A baby would feel safer in the secure space of a crib rather than…

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3 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychology Criminal Behavior Has Been

Words: 1023
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Term Paper

As explained by Gelles and Strauss in their works, "With the exception of the police and the military, the family is perhaps the most violent social group, and…

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7 Pages
Term Paper

Women's Issues - Sexuality

Evolutionary Theory of Rape Evolutionary

Words: 2276
Length: 7 Pages
Type: Term Paper

They accuse Coyne of giving modern intellectuals "permission to remain biologically illiterate, through assuring them there is nothing useful or important that they could learn that would help…

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2 Pages
Research Paper

Evolution

Psychology Human Adaptation Although Charles

Words: 580
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Research Paper

One of the most difficult challenges in applying evolutionary theory to the study of human behavior is determining the time frame in which to study human behavior as a…

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4 Pages
Term Paper

Women's Issues - Sexuality

Psychology - Reproductive Choice Human

Words: 1267
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Environmental Influences, Domain Specificity, and Heterozygous Potential: Environmental influences have also contributed profoundly to human sexual behavior, which becomes particularly evident when one examines certain statistical tendencies pertaining to both…

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3 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Psychology Throughout Its History Psychology Has Undergone

Words: 946
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

Psychology Throughout its history, psychology has undergone a number of evolutions. As the study of mind, the discipline has necessarily been subject to change as new research revealed information…

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2 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Psychology and Culture How the Two Fit Together

Words: 666
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Cultural Influence and Critical Thinking No psychological perspective is really free of cultural biases, as every perspective is rooted in something, whether it is Freud's perspective rooted in his own…

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2 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Psychology the Following Question Requires

Words: 775
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Behavioral activities are more of reactions to stimuli and have less to do with cognitive (or brain) processes and more to do with how one acts in a…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychology Briefly Describe the Differences

Words: 551
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

The nature vs. nurture debate is over whether an individual learns behaviors from their environment (nurture) or whether an individual is born with certain genetic traits and predispositions toward…

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2 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Psychology How Have You Been Labeled as

Words: 565
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Psychology How have you been labeled as a child or as an adult, and how has this impacted your identity and performance? As a child I was always labeled as intelligent.…

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5 Pages
Term Paper

Psychology

Psychology - History of Psychology

Words: 1415
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Whereas the behaviorist and psychodynamic models contradict each other in their fundamental assumptions and focus, humanistic perspective does not necessarily contradict behaviorism or the psychodynamic approach, except that it…

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7 Pages
Term Paper

Genetics

Psychology Dawkins' Selfish Gene and

Words: 1827
Length: 7 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Nonetheless, an argument from common sense can be made based on our own observational context. For example, neurologically speaking, there is a wealth of evidence to illustrate that…

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