Sex roles, ornaments, and evolutionary explanation

Sex roles, ornaments, and evolutionary explanation.

M are competitive, sexually indiscriminate, and pushy, whereas females are passive, choosy, and coy. This familiar generalization about the sexual behavior of animals and humans is grossly overstated and potentially misleading, yet has its roots in empirical observation of at least some species. One of the triumphs of modern sociobiology (1, 2) is that evolutionary theory can explain why the se...

Sex differences in spatial abilities: An evolutionary explanation

MacIntyre’s (1997) review of gender differences in spatial abilities overlooked findings generated by the metatheory of evolutionary psychology. This oversight reflects an underlying hostility within the social sciences towards the use of evolutionary theory in the study of human behaviour and cognition. As a remedy, this paper outlines the theoretical background of evolutionary psychology, foc...

Developmental Systems and Evolutionary Explanation

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Evolutionary Explanation of Psychopaths

Psychopaths are brutal individuals, having no empathetic concern for others. Initially, the existence of psychopaths seems to be a mystery from an evolutionary point of view. On close examination, however, it can be accommodated by evolutionary theory. Brutal individuals excelled meek individuals in the desperate circumstances where they had to fight their competitors over natural resources for...

An alternative explanation for the origin and effects of sex roles