By Hans van de Braak
October 2013
Pearson Education
Distributed by Trans-Atlantic Publications
ISBN: 9780273737940
385 pages, Illustrated
$82.50 Paper original
Why do humans live in social groups?
What is the purpose of culture and why is it important?
How did human language develop and what distinguishes it from other animal communication systems?
Evolutionary Psychology offers a comprehensive and lucid overview of the main ideas, issues and debates in this field, tackling a wide range of fascinating questions that are pertinent to our understanding of modern life.
Uniquely, the book balances the three key perspectives on evolutionary theory, providing an insight into how our brain mechanisms, behavioural strategies and learning capacity have all contributed to our evolution.
The book first guides the reader through the foundations of evolutionary psychology, drawing on research and key theories, before discussing the future directions of this field.
Contents:
PART 1: BASICS
Introduction
1. The history of evolutionary psychology
2. Problems and solutions in evolution
3. The place of humans in evolution
PART 2: PROBLEMS
4. Males and females
5. Fathers, mothers and others
6. The evolution of social life
7. The origin and expression of emotions
8. Brain and cognition
9. The origins of language
10. Culture in evolution
PART 3: SPECIALS
11. The evolutionary paradox of mental illness
12. Evolution through development
Return to main page of Trans-Atlantic Publications