Evolutionary psychology occupies an important place in the drive to understand and explain human behavior. Darwinian ideas provide powerful tools to illuminate how fundamental aspects of the way humans think, feel, and interact derive from reproductive interests and an ultimate need for survival. In this updated and expanded edition of Evolution and Human Behaviour, John Cartwright considers the emergence of Homo sapiens as a species and looks at contemporary issues, such as familial relationships and conflict and cooperation, in light of key theoretical principles. Evolution and Human Behaviour covers basic concepts including natural and sexual selection, life history theory, and the fundamentals of genetics. New material will be found in chapters on emotion, culture, incest avoidance, ethics, and cognition and reasoning. Two new chapters are devoted to the evolutionary analysis of mental disorders.
- Historical Introduction: Evolution and Theories of Behaviour Darwin and After
- Darwin's Legacy
- The Selfish Gene
- Mating Behaviour: From Systems to Strategies
- Sexual Selection
- The Evolution of Brain Size
- Language and the Modular Mind
- Understanding Human Sexual Behaviour
- Mate Choice in Humans
- Conflict in Families and Other Groups
- Altruism, Co-operation and the Foundations of Culture
- Epilogue: The Use and Misuse of Evolutionary Theory
- Glossary
- References
- Index
John Cartwright holds degrees in natural science and philosophy of science and is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology at Chester College of Higher Education, an institution affiliated to the University of Liverpool. He teaches courses on Darwin and the evolutionary approach to understanding human behaviour.
This book offers a well-balanced approach to the subject of evolutionary approaches to human behavior. The revised edition still contains more evolutionary biology than other evolutionary psychology textbooks, which is a real strength. The new chapter on ethics is a valuable addition, as it presents philosophical arguments linked to an evolutionary approach to human behavior. --Julie Coultas, Visiting Research Fellow, Psychology, University of Sussex "I warmly welcome this new edition. The author has expanded and updated the content and scope and I am delighted to see that he has maintained the critical approach so important in the first edition. The expansion of the old material and inclusion of newer material means that this text will form a good 'fit' to any of the numerous evolutionary courses now on offer, whether as undergraduate options, or for more advanced master's programs." --Nick Neave, Reader, Division of Psychology, Northumbria University