Preview

Evolutionary Psychology Controversy

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
921 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Evolutionary Psychology Controversy
A new idea is never accepted easily; when an idea first comes into existence many questions are raised before the notion convinces anyone. Along with a new theory comes many new controversies and critiques which go against the bright new idea. An example of a brilliant idea which still has many controversies surrounding it is the notion of evolutionary psychology. As this field progresses into the world, many brilliant scientists from around the world reason why they think it’s false. Both supporters and adversaries not only helped shed light for each other, but also helped shed light in helping me decide whether I wanted to stand behind this new field, or be among the many that decline it.
Evolutionary psychology is the up and coming belief
…show more content…
For example, many brilliant minds critiqued that the field was not fully complete. Before becoming a successful field, it had many problems it needed to sort out. One brilliant scientist said that psychology had to deal with its dualism of mind vs body before it can even think of becoming a complete science. Not only were there critiques but controversies as well, one common controversy which was present, was the idea whether this theory could even be tested. Many scientists began to question whether evolutionary psychology could be tested and if so, how. Scientists were worried that psychological hypothesis could not be empirically tested or falsified. The evolutionary psychologists responded to this controversy quickly by making aware that the testing of evolutionary psychology is just as similar as the testing of any other science. Just like the other sciences, researchers formulate a hypothesis, in this case, something about an evolved psychological mechanism, and then put them to the test. One other major controversy which surrounds evolutionary psychology questions whether human behavior is the result of learning or evolution. Many scientists felt that the habits and instincts of a human were learned as the human grew older, they were not preprogrammed in his mind. Evolutionary psychologists responded to this idea by claiming that scientists were looking at the idea all wrong. The scientists were too busy trying to predict if it was a matter of nature or nurture that they could not see how the two exist at the same time. A great example of both interacting is seen in calluses which are formed with repeated friction to the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    1. One way evolutionary psychology can answer Dylan’s promiscuity is that it has become a learned behavior that he has never had to correct/change. The study states that he has been promiscuous since high school and he sees no reason to change his ways.…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. Why were Americans so alarmed at the growth of big business as described in Chapter 17? Consider that no other western country made antitrust a major issue. What were the implications of big business for American individualism? American concepts of equality? American democracy? The forces leading to economic concentration in industry (thus leading to monopoly). What were Americans reactions to big business as well as the different approaches taken by various reformers and critics of big business, including government attempts to regulate business. What might I mean, “with rapid industrialization came rapid urbanization”? Describe some of the problems associated with the growth of large urban centers.…

    • 758 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Evolutionary psychology is an approach that explains psychological traits such as perception, memory, and language as adaptations. This approach is focused on how evolution has shaped mind and behavior.…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Over the years, psychology has been splintered into seven different schools, including schools that no longer exist. Each school focused on a different aspect of behavior and had different ways of testing their theories. According to Thomas Kuhn, “the social sciences and psychology differ from the older natural sciences in that they lack an accepted paradigm upon which most members of the scientific community agree. Instead, these young sciences are still splintered into several schools” (Kowalski & Westen, 2011, Chapter 1).…

    • 2978 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    It may be argued that one’s culture is indicative of the way in which they behave. Is this an accurate assumption? Tess calls attention to the difficulties we face in ascertaining whether nature or nurture poses a greater influence to human behaviour, and I am inclined to agree with her assumption that the two are interdependent. Our behaviour is deeply rooted in the functioning of the society in which we live, something which indicates the interference of evolution in teaching us the valuable role of society in relation to our ultimate survival. For it is the ability to adapt to the cultural norms surrounding us via what Hogan refers to as “archaic, powerful and compulsive tendencies,” [Hogan, 1985] that contributes to the overall success of human social life. This is exemplified through the examination of ancient human society. DeWaal points out the ever-present “strife and competition which… pose the strongest threat to [human] existence” [DeWaal, 1996], and Pinker refers to the idea of reciprocity as being “ubiquitous in foraging societies” [Pinker, 1997]. These two facets of social existence may in fact be linked in that they work to counter one another. Rather than constantly competing in the interests of the self, early human beings came to realise the benefits of co-existing with one another. We are all subject to this same evolutionary history which tells us that social harmony is key in our ultimate survival, and this requires adherence to our common culture. In other words, we are nurtured with reference to the teachings of our nature, therefore in this case the two cannot be separated as they are reliant on one another.…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Evolutionary psychology is a richly diverse and relatively new perspective in psychology. Often encompassing many strands within and outside of psychology in order to piece together a cohesive theory built on not one but many methodologies. To highlight this, this essay will firstly chart the different types of evidence used in evolutionary psychology then explain, with examples, why the perspective requires a multi method approach.…

    • 1035 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Mock Interviews

    • 1913 Words
    • 8 Pages

    References: Buss, D. M. (n.d.). Evolutionary Theory and Psychology. American Psychological Association (APA). Retrieved May 19, 2013, from http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2009/05/sci-brief.aspx…

    • 1913 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Are behaviors inbred, written permanently in our genes as absolute biological imperatives, or is the environment more important in shaping our thoughts and actions? Such questions cycle through society repeatedly, forming the infamous "nature vs. nurture controversy." It is very apparent that nature is responsible for numerous physical behaviors, including homosexuality, aggression, impulsivity, and nurturing. The theory that nature is accountable for behavior is demonstrated through the reproduction of certain behaviors in successive generations of organisms. Consider the instinctive retrieval behavior of a yellow Labrador or the herding posture of a border collie. Behaviors change in response to alterations in biological structures or processes. In addition, a brain injury can turn a polite, knowledgeable adult…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The nature/nurture debate is a recurring aspect that has been illustrated in a series of studies that have considered how the environment and the role of genes on abnormal brain development. Researchers at John Hopkins University participated in four studies. Their conclusions led them to a greater understanding of nature and nurture and how this interaction can affect the risk of an individual developing schizophrenia. This essay intends to discuss the findings of the aforementioned research and draw on further evidence from biological psychology in relation to the nature/nurture debate.…

    • 955 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Evolutionary Psychology is replacing the traditional views of psychology and the standard social science model of the mind. This traditional view believes that we can escape our heritage due to the fact that the content of our social and mental lives is not determined by our biological heritage. The main claims of the SSSM view are:…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    This evolutionary theory, generally credited to Charles Darwin, can not explain the link between worldview and developmental theories. Although it is similar to behaviorism, as it does have a reinforcer for behavior found in the individual’s drive for survival and reproduction (Credit), it cannot fit because of a difference in ideas. Worldview is maintained through underlying and differentiating beliefs. The evolutionary theory, however, enforces actions are primal in nature (Credit). How an individual interprets the world cannot be boiled down to a primal drive, rather, their worldview has to be shaped by different ideas and beliefs that make the individual unique. Furthermore, their worldview cannot be defined as an unstoppable urge, but rather, an intelligent thought process. The incompatibility between worldview and the evolutionary theory can be credited to the difference in the drive behind a human’s thoughts and…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the history of psychology, there are many debates about which psychologist, doctor, theorists or scientists’ theories were more important to the study. There are many contributors of great importance throughout history. Two contributors, Sigmund Feud and B. F. Skinner, two great minds, looked at many of the same issues in different styles.…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Due to the evolutionary psychologists in the text „Nature Versus Nurture: The Battle Continues“ women and men have no choice how they act. Both are bound to different behavior patterns, which is the consequence of the evolutionary progress. All along the task of the men was to impregnate as most woman as possible to save the continuity of their race, while women always have been the ones that had to born and raise the children. Therefore the males concentrated on getting as most as possible partners, while women persued only few partners who stay with them and help raising up their children. Emotional skills, that could lead to a long-term relationship were not needed for the males. Instead they focused in improving their physical skills in order to be a ready for fight. The opposite goes for women.…

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The study of psychology is filled with controversy and debate. All of the uncertainties and unanswered questions even push interest in the field. These questions provoke deep thought about why humans behave the way they do, where we learned these behaviors, how we learned them, and more. However, almost all of the smaller arguments can be grouped into one big debate: nature versus nurture. It asks if the way we behave comes from nature – the genes we inherit from our parents when we are born – or nurture – the ways in which we are raised. There are plenty of good arguments and lots of different opinions on many questions derived from this critical debate.…

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Evolutionism, the anthropological perspective we now know began to emerge around the 1860’s. Formerly a biological concept, the concept of evolution held that organisms, animals and humans alike were intrinsically destined to increase in complexity through time. In the middle of the 19th century, this belief grew to encompass both social and cultural evolution likening itself to the anthropological perspective we now speak of today. As defined by Alan Barnard, ‘Evolutionism is an anthropological perspective which emphasises the growing complexity of culture through time(Barnard,…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays