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The Will to Win

How far would you go?

Psych Basics

Evolutionary Psychology
Sociobiology

What is Evolutionary Psychology?

Our bodies evolved over eons, slowly calibrating to the African savanna on which 98 percent of our ancestors lived and died. So, too, did our brains. Evolutionary psychology postulates that the mind is shaped by pressure to survive and reproduce. We jealously guard romantic partners and cherish our closest relatives above all others, lest we fail to pass on our genes. We easily acquire language, which is critical for cooperation and hence survival. Evolutionary psychology acknowledges these forces but stresses the ultimate (and largely unconscious) gene's eye view of behavior.



Who We Are

Thanks for the Mutations, Dad

Most new mutations trace to fathers rather than mothers

The Mind As Coloring Book

Why you believe what you believe and why it matters.

Double Talk

Speakers of more than one language have nimble brains.

The Mind as a Coloring Book

Universal psychological mechanisms yield surprising cultural diversity

The Beguiling Truth About Beauty

You're more attractive than you think.

The Lure of Laziness

You can fight the built-in urge to slack off.

Why I Hate Beauty

Beauty makes us miserable.

Why Having Choices Makes Us Feel Powerful

We think that choice = control = survival: We need to feel in control.

Punish the Shirkers! Especially the Low-status Ones

Do high-status freeloaders get a free pass?

See Also

Mate Appeal

Why We Cheat

Sleeping around is more of a mystery than ever.

Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature

Some surprising, and incendiary, facts about men and women.

Do Married Women Want Their Husbands to Cheat?

The dilemma that every married woman faces.

Why Dating Is Difficult in New York (or London)

There is a mathematically proven best way to date.

Love and Madness in Las Vegas

Has romantic love provided the brain circuitry for all addictions?

Can Brides Justify Losing Their Names?

Why do women give up their names when they marry?

Sex Changes Everything

Opportunities to mate leads to risk-taking.

Is Wanting a Pink Tutu Hardwired?

Or why our romance with biological determinism is dangerous

See Also

Evolved to Kill?

Is the Male Sex Drive the Cause of Wars?

Why men are biologically programmed to be warriors

Why Are Men So Violent?

Are men warriors by nature? History, not evolution, may explain male violence.

Sex and Violence: Male Warriors Revisited

Is there really an evolutionary link between sex and violence?

EP Not Always PC

What If The World Was Flat?

Unfortunately, science is not always cumulative.

Is This Woman a Sexual Predator?

Dangerous sexual predators are almost always male.

Is Sport a Religion?

Sport is replacing religion.

Do Assholes Really Finish First?

What's the allure of the bad boy?

Prostitution: Older than Man

Prostitution is not only the oldest profession; it predates man.

Barbie: Manufactured by Mattel, Designed by Evolution

Why do men like blonde bombshells?

Find a Therapist
Find a nearby professional for face-to-face help

Evolutionary Psychology Tests

Egoism Vs. Altruism

Do you tend to be self-centered or are you compassionate?

Jealousy - Straight Men

Is your jealousy detrimental?

Jealousy - Straight Women

Is your man looking elsewhere?

Sex Personality Test

Are you sexually creative and adventurous?

More Tests

Current Issue

Confessions of a Sociopath

She's successful and charming as well as ruthless and calculating.

Evolutionary Psychology Blogs

  • Sam Kean

    Brain Food

    Biology, evolution, and the underpinnings of neuroscience
    By Sam Kean
  • Hank Davis

    Caveman Logic

    A look at the scary and entertaining ways in which our primitive minds are mismatched to the modern world around us.
    By Hank Davis

  • Caveman Politics

    How evolution impacts politics.
    By Gregg Murray, Ph.D.
  • Gary Wilson

    Cupid's Poisoned Arrow

    Biology has plans for your love life
    By Marnia Robinson & Gary Wilson
  • Glenn Geher

    Darwin's Subterranean World

    Evolution, Mind, and Mating Intelligence
    By Glenn Geher Ph.D.
  • Barry X. Kuhle, Ph.D.

    Evolutionary Entertainment

    Exploring the evolutionary foundations of popular culture.
    By Barry X. Kuhle
  • Gad Saad

    Homo Consumericus

    The nature and nurture of consumption
    By Gad Saad, Ph.D.
  • Robert Martin, Ph.D.

    How We Do It

    The evolution and future of human reproduction
    By Robert Martin, Ph.D.