whether light or dark coloured moths dominate the moth population.
In addition, Charles Darwin believed that some forms of diversity are more adaptive than others, as illustrated in the examples of the adaptive features of animals (p. 113). He developed ideas based on initial observations during his stay in the Galapagos islands. His theory made an impact on evolution.
Many evolutionary psychologists also assumed that the distinctive aspects of human brains and minds do owe their origins to the lengthy periods of adaptation to the hunter-gatherer way of life during the primate time (p121). The primate lifestyle is crucial in understanding many aspects of the human mind and it is believed that many traits found in the evolutionary mind like obtaining a well-paid job, are still being seen in the modern human mind.
Furthermore, the Machiavellian hypothesis (p. 123) also supported the notion that intelligence began in ‘social manipulation, deceit and cunning cooperation.’ Through this hypothesis, it is believed that cooperation among individuals resulted from a calculated option in the social environment and not by a naïve ‘trusting’ of others.
From the above, it is seen that evolutionary psychologists try to link the human mind to human behaviour and that the survival of human species indeed lies in the fact that humans make use of their mind to try to think in order to survive. Besides that, environmental pressures also influence the way in which
human think and thus, create the evolution of a modular mind. As a result, developmental psychologists used the term ‘theory of
mind’ to describe animals who have the ability to understand one another. This theory of mind-reading includes implicit mind-reading, counter-deception, recognition of intervening variables and experience projection. In particular, it is important to differentiate ‘complex mind-reading’ from ‘simpler behaviour reading’ (p.127).
Inevitably, in the explanation of the evolutionary of the human mind, many evolutionary psychologists have to make use of a range of methods to support their theories and claims. Some of the methods are as follows:
The first method consists that of natural history like observation, classification and induction. For example, Darwin had collected a wide range of samples of plant and animal life before classifying them to develop theoretical concepts in order to make sense of his data (p. 150). He also used deduction to predict the consequences of animal life in order to come out with the idea of selection.
Hypothetico-deductive reasoning and testing is the second approach in which psychologists make use of formulating hypotheses and predictions based on established evolutionary claims like the Machiavellian hypothesis and the Kettlewell study of the moths mentioned above. The study showed that the moths’ survival is dependent on the environmental factor which provided the camouflage for their colour.
The third approach is “reverse engineering’ or functional analysis as seen in the Cosmides’ experiments on cheater detection. This is an investigative method came up by Toomby
and Cosmides (p. 110). This approach may be based mostly on inferential but most of the analysis are based on already well
established evolutionary principles and observations supported by empirical tests (p. 151).
Apart from that, logical inference supported by logical inference is the most common method used by evolutionary psychologists. This approach is supported by a wide range of disciplines thus making this approach reliable.
Not surprisingly, evolutionary psychology plays a crucial role in the study of contemporary psychology. It proposes how the human brains evolve (Machiavellian hypothesis and modular hypothesis), shows how the human evolution comes about through the studying of other animals as well as encourages an interdisciplinary approach and generating new investigations and understanding through the use of functional questioning.
Undeniably, on the other hand, evolutionary psychology seems to suggest that humans are forced to behave in specific ways and the limitations with regards to the impact of change in which humans live. Thus, evolutionary psychology has only a limited amount of value as it is linked to human psychology, as what some critiques believed. In view of the criticisms, human creative intelligence makes us different from other animals and the way in which human live in the past does provide an impact on the way we live now as many of the survival instincts in humans can still be seen today.
In conclusion, human behaviour is indeed difficult to explain and account for. “The mind is an equisitely organized system that accomplishes remarkable feats that no engineer can duplicate”
(Stephen Pinker, p. 154). It is not an easy feat for evolutionary psychologists to explain the evolution of the human mind and due
recognition should be given to them to acknowledge their contributions towards the study of the human mind.
