Evolutionary psychology: A how-to guide

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buir.contributor.authorLewis, David M. G.
buir.contributor.authorAl-Shawaf, Laith
dc.citation.epage373en_US
dc.citation.issueNumber4en_US
dc.citation.spage353en_US
dc.citation.volumeNumber72en_US
dc.contributor.authorLewis, David M. G.en_US
dc.contributor.authorAl-Shawaf, Laithen_US
dc.contributor.authorConroy-Beam, D.en_US
dc.contributor.authorAsao, K.en_US
dc.contributor.authorBuss, D. M.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2018-04-12T11:08:12Z
dc.date.available2018-04-12T11:08:12Z
dc.date.issued2017en_US
dc.departmentDepartment of Psychologyen_US
dc.departmentInterdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience (NEUROSCIENCE)en_US
dc.departmentAysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center (BAM)en_US
dc.description.abstractResearchers in the social and behavioral sciences are increasingly using evolutionary insights to test novel hypotheses about human psychology. Because evolutionary perspectives are relatively new to psychology and most researchers do not receive formal training in this endeavor, there remains ambiguity about "best practices" for implementing evolutionary principles. This article provides researchers with a practical guide for using evolutionary perspectives in their research programs and for avoiding common pitfalls in doing so. We outline essential elements of an evolutionarily informed research program at 3 central phases: (a) generating testable hypotheses, (b) testing empirical predictions, and (c) interpreting results. We elaborate key conceptual tools, including task analysis, psychological mechanisms, design features, universality, and cost-benefit analysis. Researchers can use these tools to generate hypotheses about universal psychological mechanisms, social and cultural inputs that amplify or attenuate the activation of these mechanisms, and cross-culturally variable behavior that these mechanisms can produce. We hope that this guide inspires theoretically and methodologically rigorous research that more cogently integrates knowledge from the psychological and life sciences.en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1037/a0040409en_US
dc.identifier.issn0003-066X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11693/37272
dc.language.isoEnglishen_US
dc.publisherAmerican Psychological Association Inc.en_US
dc.relation.isversionofhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0040409en_US
dc.source.titleAmerican Psychologisten_US
dc.subjectCross-cultural psychologyen_US
dc.subjectEvolutionary psychologyen_US
dc.subjectMisconceptionsen_US
dc.subjectSocial psychologyen_US
dc.subjectUniversalityen_US
dc.titleEvolutionary psychology: A how-to guideen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center (BAM)