What Is Evolutionary Psychology?

Outline the Processes Involved in Evolution and Discuss how Evolutionary Psychologists have Contributed to our Understanding of

Evolutionary psychologists therefore look for a theoretical combination of all the different scientific disciplines examining human’s behaviours and beliefs under this biological "view of a single, universal panhuman design" (1992). Therefore, evolutionary psychology can be described as a new theory based hypothesis that combines the current principals of psychology with the main principals of evolutionary biology (Buss, 1996). This study will critique evolutionary theory under the subsequent headings.

As nonhuman primates seem to be able to communicate meaningful messages, the question arises whether our ancestors developed language from a similar state.

“What makes us human?”, is an unanswered question asked by many. Is it because of our ability to have empathy for others? Or is it because of our cognitive ability which allows us to look into the future? One of the main arguments made that separates humans from animals is our communication style; our language. Is language inherently unique to human? To answer such a question, we first operationally define language as; “a system of communication based upon words and the combination of words into sentences” (University of Oslo). The purpose of language is for us to be able to convey an infinite amount of ideas to one another. Sign language in general also falls under this definition as it has a complex system of rules and syntax that allow the signed figures to function as words. Animal communication on the other hand, is operationally defined as, “the transmission of a signal from one animal to another such that the sender benefits, on average, from the response of the recipient” (Pearce 1987). With this in mind, current research has shown that the answer is that language is inherently unique to humans.

There is no other natural type of communication quite like the system of human language. It consists of vocal sounds, written symbols, signs, and gestures. Human beings use these gestures, symbols, and metaphors for many different purposes such as expressing thoughts, providing information, giving instructions, and effectively negotiating amongst one another. Human language can express many things such as thoughts and feelings between two or more people and is the greatest necessity in human communications. In Philosophy in a New Key, Susan Langer writes “The development of language is the history of the gradual accumulation and elaboration of verbal symbols. By means of this phenomenon, man’s whole behavior-pattern has undergone an immense change from the simple biological scheme, and his mentality has expanded to such a degree that it is no longer comparable to the minds of animals.” Although other species are not without their own forms of communication, it is human language that is responsible for the success of the human species, in which makes human language unique to human beings. It is symbolic, intelligent and consists of writing, grammar, and abstract speech. Language is a main element that separates man from

The origin of speech in Homo sapiens is controversial topic since the problem is related to humans' unprecedented use of the tongue, lips and vocal organs as instruments of communication. As we know, the other animals vocalize, but do not use the tongue to modulate sounds. The most interesting scenario about this evidence, with regards to human language evolution, is the lip-smacking. According to scientists, lip-smacking has been observed as the first step towards the evolution of speech, although it is a phenomenon common in every primate. The evolution of distinctively human speech capacities has become a distinct and in many ways separate area of scientific research. Many studies have been done throughout the history regarding the origins of human language. The article about the Gelada monkeys of

Humans received information by communicating with each other. Before they spoke to each other with words, they communicated with gestures and “body language” in addition to simple sounds. Language probably started with individual words. Linking words into sentences probably came next. Humans were believed to use music-like phrases similar to the way parents talk to babies before language was

Ideas in psychology have been influenced by many fields of study ranging from philosophy to physics. Evolutionary ideas, themselves, have had a substantial role in shaping psychological thought. This paper will provide an overview of the influence of evolutionary thought on the field of psychology along with a discussion of the range of societal implications associated with evolutionary psychology.

Evolutionary Psychology is of humans when they experience a changing environment and look for differences within their behaviours, their cognition and also their brain structure. They use observations to gain knowledge about how it affects people within the changes. Evolutionary psychology was based on the roots of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection but it has been massively influenced by other fields such as, evolutionary biology, genetics, ethology and many more. They have all been taking into account and help develop evolutionary psychology over the years.

Attempts to include all disciplines of psychology under an umbrella which covers all – why a phenomenon exists and how that would be helpful to pass on as an adaptive function, i.e., evolution. Interest is in why some phenomena exist and what function they served and how they help us to pass on our genes.

By 12,000 B.C.E., humans had evolved to more easily facilitate the social and physical demands of everyday life. The average Homo sapiens evolved to have a brain capacity nearly equal to one of a modern human, along with an erect posture and opposable thumbs. These adaptations contributed to their mental state on a day to day basis, allowing them to logically think through their actions. The larger brain capacity soon allowed series of grunts to evolve into a pattern that could be classified as language, making interaction

The most well-known summarization for what evolution is, is a change in genetic makeup (phenotype makeup) of a population over time; or a change in allele frequencies in a population over time (College Biology, 2014, p. 513). Darwin’s theory of natural selection says that organisms have great potential fertility, natural resources are very limited, variation in phenotypes exists among individuals within a species, natural populations naturally remain constant and consistent in size, and traits (an observable or measurable characteristic) that an organism holds are heritable (College Biology, 2014 p. 486-489).

Evolutionary psychology seeks to explain human behavior by analyzing problems that our ancestors faced and how they solved them in their different environments. From this similarities of our ancestral behavior are established, and how ancestral problem-solving methods have developed today in different cultures.

Language is a communicative system of words and symbols unique to humans. The origins of language are still a mystery as fossil remains cannot speak. However, the rudiments of language can be inferred through studying linguistic development in children and the cognitive and communicative abilities of primates as discussed by Bridgeman (2003). This essay illustrates the skills infants have that will eventually help them to acquire language. The topics covered are firstly, the biological aspects, the contribution of the human brain to language development? Secondly, key theories of language development will be considered. Is the development innate? Is there a critical period? Thirdly, what must be learned? What are the rudiments infants must

The claim, humans are the only animal that can acquire language has been the subject of much debate as scientists have investigated language use by non-human species. Researchers have taught apes, monkeys, parrots and wild children with various systems of human-like communication. Thus, one might ask, what is human language? According to Ulla Hedeager, A universally accepted definition of language or the criteria for its use does not exist. This is one of the reasons for the disagreement among scientists about whether non-human species can use a language. In nature, researchers find numerous types of communication systems, several of which appear to be unique to their possessors, and one of them is the language of the human species. Basically, the purpose of communication is the preservation, growth, and development of the species (Smith and Miller 1968:265). The ability to exchange information is shared by all communication systems, and a number of non-human systems share some features of human language. The fundamental difference between human and non-human communication is that animals are believed to react instinctively, in a stereotyped and predictable way. Generally, human behavior is under the voluntary control,