Evolutionary Psychology
Alyssa Schreffler
The principles of evolution support the theory that certain behaviours seen today must have helped humans in the past. With that in mind, it can be true that evolutionary psychology is solely based on comparisons of behaviours on only what history allows us to look back on. Homosexuality and homicide are two adaptive behaviours which both might represent genetic adaption of behaviour to increase survival and reproduction. in terms of homosexuality, Zietsch et al (2008) explains his theories providing an explanation to this form of evolutionary psychology on page 62. Perhaps homosexuals do not prevent reproduction, but they might actually increase the reproductive fitness for the family by contributiing to the care and resources of others. Also, Zietsch investigates the idea that genetics carry sharacteristics of the opposite sex, therefore increasing their attractivness to the opposite se. In other words, we inherit some genetic prediposition for homosexuality, but do not think of ourselves as homosexual. Instead, these genetics somehow make us more attractive to the opposite sex. For example, on page 63, researchers mailed questionnairs to 4904 identical twins asking them personal question relating to sexual orientation, number of sex partners, and gender identity. They found that hetersexual twin brothers of homosexuals had a large number of sex partners, therefore supporting the conclusion that homosexuals might offer some sort of advanatage for hetersexual persons. When looking at homicide, the theory that being able to kill carries psychological advantages in an environment where it is required supports the idea that humans have evolved with some psychological adaption for killing. This is more likely to increase ones chance of reproductive success by defending and protecting resources which creates less competition for resources and/or partners. Page 63 explains how this killing behaviour is considered to be an adaption based on
The principles of evolution support the theory that certain behaviours seen today must have helped humans in the past. With that in mind, it can be true that evolutionary psychology is solely based on comparisons of behaviours on only what history allows us to look back on. Homosexuality and homicide are two adaptive behaviours which both might represent genetic adaption of behaviour to increase survival and reproduction. in terms of homosexuality, Zietsch et al (2008) explains his theories providing an explanation to this form of evolutionary psychology on page 62. Perhaps homosexuals do not prevent reproduction, but they might actually increase the reproductive fitness for the family by contributiing to the care and resources of others. Also, Zietsch investigates the idea that genetics carry sharacteristics of the opposite sex, therefore increasing their attractivness to the opposite se. In other words, we inherit some genetic prediposition for homosexuality, but do not think of ourselves as homosexual. Instead, these genetics somehow make us more attractive to the opposite sex. For example, on page 63, researchers mailed questionnairs to 4904 identical twins asking them personal question relating to sexual orientation, number of sex partners, and gender identity. They found that hetersexual twin brothers of homosexuals had a large number of sex partners, therefore supporting the conclusion that homosexuals might offer some sort of advanatage for hetersexual persons. When looking at homicide, the theory that being able to kill carries psychological advantages in an environment where it is required supports the idea that humans have evolved with some psychological adaption for killing. This is more likely to increase ones chance of reproductive success by defending and protecting resources which creates less competition for resources and/or partners. Page 63 explains how this killing behaviour is considered to be an adaption based on