Evolutionary Psychology: A Critical Introduction by Christopher Badcock (English

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An accessible introduction to the principle of Evolutionary Psychology While providing a sound introduction the author also challenges accepted theories and suggests new approaches to the field of Evolutionary Psychology Readable and approachable style, without jargon and excessive detail.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Evolutionary Psychology: A Critical Introduction 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.

Back Cover

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.

Flap

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.

Author Biography

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

Table of Contents

List of Figures viii List of Boxes ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xiv 1 Selection and Adaptation 1 The concept of evolution 1 Natural selection 3 Survival of the fittest 6 Three assumptions about adaptations 9 The EEA 11 Designer Darwinism 16 Design flaws in evolution 19 The Swiss army knife model of the mind 22 The triune brain 24 The benefits of human brain evolution 29 The costs of human brain evolution 33 The evolutionary psychology of evolutionary psychology 26 Suggestions for further reading 37 2 Genetics and Epigenetics 38 Inheritance of acquired characteristics 39 Blending inheritance and mutation 42 Mendel 45 The discovery of DNA 49 The genetic code 53 Development and preformation 55 Epigenesis 58 The role of the single gene 61 Genetic and environmental determinism 63 The problem with programming behaviour 65 Epigenetic agents 69 Suggestions for further reading 71 3 The Evolution and Psychology of Co-operation 72 Super-organisms and group selection 72 Individualism in groups 76 The problem of altruism 78 Hamilton's inequality 79 Kin altruism 85 Inclusive fitness 88 Prisoner's dilemma 88 Iterated prisoner's dilemma 92 Familiarity and reputation 98 The evolved psychology of reciprocity 102 Cognitive adaptations for social exchange 106 Suggestions for further reading 110 4 Mind, Emotion and Consciousness 111 Anti-mentalism 111 Autism and theory of mind 113 Darwin's three principles of the expression of the emotions 115 Evolutionary psychology and The Expression of the Emotions 123 The pleasure principle 125 Freud and Darwin 129 Trivers's evolutionary psychodynamics of consciousness 132 Divided consciousness 134 Mental topography and brain lateralization 144 Suggestions for further reading 148 5 Sex, Mating and Parental Investment 149 Sex and parental investment 149 Variance of reproductive success 152 Mating systems 155 Divorce and remarriage 158 Human sexual adaptations 160 Mating preferences 173 Sex, scent and the selfish gene 175 Sex ratios 178 Sex discrimination, abortion and infanticide in humans 182 Suggestions for further reading 188 6 Growth, Development and Conflict 189 Parent-offspring conflict 189 Genomic imprinting 192 Conflict in pregnancy 198 Imprinted genes and brain development 204 Postnatal depression 208 Weaning conflicts 212 Psychological conflict between parent and child 217 Genetic conflict and Freudian psychodynamics 220 The evolution of ambivalence 222 Suggestions for further reading 226 7 Nature, Nurture, Language and Culture 227 Evolutionary psychology and the SSSM 228 Memes 234 Conditioning 238 The nurture assumption 243 Language 244 Turner's syndrome 253 The nature of nurture 262 Suggestions for further reading 268 Glossary of Technical Terms 269 Notes 274 References 277 Index 296

Review

"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 interactions 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

Long Description

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.

Review Text

'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

Review Quote

'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

Feature

An accessible introduction to the principle of Evolutionary PsychologyWhile providing a sound introduction the author also challenges accepted theories and suggests new approaches to the field of Evolutionary PsychologyReadable and approachable style, without jargon and excessive detail. Includes numerous illustrative text boxes and clear, effective diagramsSuggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter.

Details ISBN0745622062 Author Christopher Badcock Short Title EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY Pages 320 Language English ISBN-10 0745622062 ISBN-13 9780745622064 Media Book Format Paperback DEWEY 155.7 Illustrations Yes Residence Indianapolis, IN, US Year 2000 Imprint Polity Press Place of Publication Oxford Country of Publication United Kingdom Edition 1st Affiliation London School Of Economics and Political Science DOI 10.1604/9780745622064 UK Release Date 2000-10-12 AU Release Date 2000-10-12 NZ Release Date 2000-10-12 Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd Publication Date 2000-10-12 Alternative 9780745622057 Audience Undergraduate Subtitle A Critical Introduction We've got this

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