Charles Darwin and Psychology
Autor: goude2017 • February 25, 2018 • 1,218 Words (5 Pages) • 779 Views
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Darwin’s theories of natural and sexual selection had a large impact on the world of physiology and psychology alike (Lieberman & Haselton). For example, Darwin’s theories helped psychologists understand psychological differences between father presence and father absence, and how that affected sexual strategies (Buss, 2009). Darwin’s research also furthered research in the psychology of individual differences. “Before his theories, most researchers were trying to understand humans by looking at averages and similarities between people. They were just trying to understand the basic underlying constructs of human behavior. After Darwin, psychologists began investigating individual differences.” (Buss, 2009). Darwin’s theory of natural selection had significant impacts on the world of psychology. For example, this is what led psychologists to research what made some humans more successful than others. The study of what human traits made some more successful than others was brought about mainly by Darwin’s theory of natural selection where the strong survive and the weak die off (Buss, 2009). Darwin’s theory of sexual selection had large impacts in the psychological world as well. This theory led psychologists to research issues such as mate selection, adaptations to ovulation, and sexual rivalry (Buss, 2009). Darwin’s theories have influenced and will most likely continue to influence psychology because overall his theories studied humans, how they evolved and adapt. As discussed above, this ties closely to psychology because psychology is always trying to understand why humans behave the way they do.
Works Cited
Bettany, G. T., & Anderson, J. P. (1887). Life of Charles Darwin. London: Walter Scott.
Buss, D. M. (2009). The great struggles of life: Darwin and the emergence of evolutionary psychology. American Psychologist, 140-148.
Darwin, C. (1859). The Origin of Species. London .
Darwin, C. (1887). The Autobiography of Charles Darwin. Barnes and Noble Publishing Inc.
Lieberman, D., & Haselton, M. (n.d.). Darwinian Psychology: Where the Present Meets the Past .
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