Applied Evolutionary Psychology

Citation

Roberts SC (ed.) (2012) Applied Evolutionary Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199586073.001.0001/acprof-9780199586073

Abstract
Evolutionary psychology aims to understand and describe human behaviour in the light of past and continuing selection and adaptation. Still a young and developing discipline, the past couple of decades has seen enormous progress. Its scope is beginning to broaden towards tackling contemporary issues in human society but, to date, application of principle to practice has been patchy and limited in extent. This book aims to provide a foundation for an incipient focus on applications of evolutionary research. It draws together a collection of renowned academics from a disparate set of fields, whose common interest lies in using evolutionary thinking to inform their research. Chapters address evolutionary insights, perspectives and applications in the following areas: economics (Paul Rubin and Monica Capra), business management (Nigel Nicholson), organizational structures (Bram Buunk and Pieternel Dijkstra), children and families (David Bjorklund and Patrick Douglas Sellers II), academic learning (David Geary), romantic relationships (Helen Fisher), politics (Michael Bang Petersen), gender equity (Bobbi Low), charitable behaviour (Pat Barclay), altruism and green behaviour (Wendy Iredale and Mark van Vugt), tackling prejudice (Justin Park), criminal behaviour (Aurelio Figueredo, Paul Robert Gladden, and Zachary Hohman), war and terrorism (Scott Atran), the law (David Herring), public health (Valerie Curtis and Robert Aunger), mental health and wellbeing (Alfonso Troisi), sports (Diana Wiedemann, Robert Barton, and Russell Hill), marketing and consumer behaviour (Vladas Griskevicius, Joshua Ackerman, and Joseph Redden), perfume design (Craig Roberts and Jan Havlicek), television programming (Charlotte De Backer), journalism (Maria Elizabeth Grabe), interaction with electronic communication technologies (Ned Kock), traffic safety (David Wiesenthal and Deanna Singhal), and robotics (Dylan Evans and Walter de Back).

Keywords
applied psychology; evolutionary psychology; evolutionary biology; evolutionary social psychology; applied issues; human behaviour; social psychology

People

Professor Craig Roberts

Professor of Social Psychology, Psychology