Overview

Why do we love sugar? Why are we afraid of snakes but not cars? Why do men and women date differently? Evolutionary Psychology (Evopsy) says: Look at the Stone Age. Our brains evolved to survive on the African savanna 100,000 years ago, not in modern New York. We are running ancient software on modern hardware.

Core Idea

The core idea is Mismatch Theory. Many of our “problems” (obesity, anxiety) are actually adaptations that used to be helpful but are now harmful.

  • Sugar: In the wild, sweet fruit was rare and high-energy. So we evolved a craving for it. In a world of infinite donuts, that craving kills us.

Formal Definition

The study of behavior, thought, and feeling as viewed through the lens of evolutionary biology. It presumes that the mind is modular and shaped by natural selection to solve specific problems faced by our ancestors.

Intuition

Your brain is a Swiss Army Knife. It has specific tools (modules) for specific problems: a “Snake Detection Tool,” a “Cheater Detection Tool,” a “Mate Selection Tool.” It is not a blank slate.

Examples

  • Phobias: It is easy to teach a baby to fear a spider. It is hard to teach them to fear a toaster. We are hardwired to fear ancient threats.
  • Morning Sickness: Pregnant women vomit certain foods. Evopsy suggests this is an adaptation to protect the fetus from toxins in plants during the most vulnerable phase of development.
  • Parental Investment: Why are women usually choosier about sex than men? Because biologically, sex costs a woman 9 months of pregnancy + nursing. It costs a man 5 minutes. The sex with the higher investment is always choosier.

Common Misconceptions

  • It justifies bad behavior: “I cheated because my genes made me do it!” No. Explanation is not justification (The Naturalistic Fallacy). We have a prefrontal cortex that can override our instincts.
  • Everything is an adaptation: Not every behavior is evolved. Some are just cultural byproducts (like playing chess). This is the “Just-So Story” criticism.
  • Kin Selection: We are nicer to our family than strangers because they share our genes. Saving your brother helps your genes survive.
  • Sexual Selection: Traits that don’t help you survive (like a Peacock’s tail) but help you get a mate.

Applications

  • Marketing: Advertisers use Evopsy triggers (status, sex, fear) to sell products.
  • Design: Designing cities and offices that align with our nature (Biophilic Design) to reduce stress.

Criticism / Limitations

  • Untestable: We can’t go back in time to observe the Stone Age. Much of Evopsy is speculation that is hard to prove.
  • Gender Essentialism: Critics argue it reinforces stereotypes about men being “hunters” and women being “gatherers.”

Further Reading

  • Wright, Robert. The Moral Animal. 1994.
  • Pinker, Steven. The Blank Slate. 2002.
  • Buss, David. The Evolution of Desire. 1994.