1st Edition

Evolutionary Explanations of Human Behaviour

By John H. Cartwright Copyright 2001

    In recent years, a new discipline has arisen that argues human behaviour can be understood in terms of evolutionary processes. Evolutionary Explanations of Human Behaviour is an introductory level book covering evolutionary psychology, this new and controversial field. The book deals with three main areas: human reproductive behaviour, evolutionary explanations of mental disorders and the evolution of intelligence and the brain. The book is particularly suitable for the AQA-A A2 syllabus, but will also be of interest to undergraduates studying evolutionary psychology for the first time and anyone with a general interest in this new discipline.

    Introduction. Human Reproductive Behaviour. Sexual Selection. Unravelling Human Sexuality. Archetypes of the Psyche: Fears and Anxieties as Adaptive Responses. Evolutionary Accounts of Mental Disorders. The Evolution of Brain Size. The Evolution of Intelligence. Study Aids.

    Biography

    John Cartwright is a senior lecturer in Biology at Chester College of Higher Education, an institution affiliated to the University of Liverpool. He teaches courses on Evolution, Evolutionary Psychology as well as the History of Science, and is the author of several books in these areas.