Evolutionary Psychologists Are Largely Composed of Sexist Men Except…

In chapter 1 of my forthcoming book, The Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography, and Gift Giving Reveal About Human Nature, due out in less than one month, I tackle key sources of vitriol toward evolutionary psychology. One of the most enduring attacks is that evolutionary psychologists possess inherent political and social ideologies that are retrograde, sexist, and racist. Most evolutionary behavioral scientists have had to respond to such attacks at one point or another in their careers. Incredibly, regardless of the number of times that definitive rebuttals are offered against these libelous and ridiculous claims, they remain immortal. They can never be slain. The well of ignorance coupled with dogmatic ideology (on the part of such anti-EP critics) makes for an ugly mix.

Dr. Mari Ruti, a fellow PT blogger, has recently put up two posts provocatively titled "Enough with Evolutionary Biology!" and "Enough with Evolutionary Biology: Follow-Up". The standard accusations were levied regarding the supposed sexist theories that evolutionary psychologists posit about sex differences in human mating. Of course, the clear implication is that evolutionary psychologists are generally speaking involved in a sexist conspiracy to promulgate "tired gender stereotypes." Dr. Ruti wishes for humans to break free of such shackles. Here is what one reader posted on Dr. Ruti's recent post (see here; scroll down to the May 7, 2011 entry titled "LOL!!!"):

"I love it!! Notice, the majority of commenters that have a problem with the authors peice are MEN!! Lemme guess, older men. Amiright? Amiright? =D It must piss some of you old, fat, misogynistic asses off to no end that women just might like/want sex, JUST NOT WITH YOU!!!! Hahahaha...going, going, gone are the days when old, ugly, fat, disgusting pigbodied men can push their weight (no pun intended!) around and believe they "deserve" some hot, young 20 year old because they have money and power. Does it hurt your old, fat, fragile ego that women, neither young nor old will sleep with your nasty ass, money or not, because guess what, we've got our own money and power. The middle eastern world must look very appealing to you. There, you can still abuse, dominate and cheat on any woman you please. In other words, in many ways these cultures are still (as far as treatment of the female sex goes) barbaric. And you old, male fatties, get over yourselves. Your time has passed, please move over...quietly."

[I am particularly feeling the love given that I am an aging, somewhat overweight, Middle Eastern man!]

To Dr. Ruti, the latter anonymous reader, and the endless other anti-EP critics who argue that evolutionary psychologists are involved in a conspiracy to promulgate sexist gender stereotypes for their selfish benefits, I have good news to share. We've identified the MALE sexist evolutionary scientists among our ranks. Here is a partial list, which I might add constitute some of the most important and influential gatekeepers of the field of evolutionary psychology:

the late Margo Wilson and Leda Cosmides (two of the founding pioneers of evolutionary psychology)

Martie Haselton (co-editor of Evolution and Human Behavior, the flagship journal for evolutionary behavioral scientists; editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Ruth Mace (co-editor of Evolution and Human Behavior)

Louise Barrett (consulting editor of Evolution and Human Behavior)

Monique Borgerhoff Mulder (consulting editor of Evolution and Human Behavior; editorial board member of Human Nature)

Rebecca Sear (consulting editor of Evolution and Human Behavior, and editorial board member of Human Nature)

Joan Silk (consulting editor of Evolution and Human Behavior, and editorial board member of Human Nature)

Jane Lancaster (editor of Human Nature)

Alice Andrews (co-editor of The Evolutionary Review)

Debra Lieberman (associate editor of Evolutionary Psychology, and editorial board member of Human Nature)

Helen Fisher (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology, and one of the best known popularizers of evolutionary psychology to the masses)

Maryanne L. Fisher (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology and PT blogger)

Ursula W. Goodenough (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Laura Betzig (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Iris Berent (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Rebecca Burch (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Patricia H. Hawley (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Elizabeth M. Hill (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Annette Karmiloff-Smith (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Dietrich Klusmann (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Andrea Kozak (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Mary Eberly Lewis (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Sylvie Lombardo (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Bobbi Low (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Deb McGinnis (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Michele Parkhill Purdie (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Ullica Segerstråle (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Cynthia Sifonis (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Jennifer Vonk (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Bridget M. Waller (editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology)

Catherine Salmon (book review editor for Evolutionary Psychology; editorial board member of Evolutionary Psychology, and PT blogger)

Catherine Panter-Brick (editorial board member of Human Nature)

Michelle Scalise Sugiyama (editorial board member of Human Nature)

Lisa DeBruine (a prodigiously productive evolutionary psychologist)

Gillian Rhodes (conducts work on the evolutionary psychology of facial beauty)

Margie Profet (famous for proposing an evolutionary explanation for pregnancy sickness)

Here are some other MEN who have written highly popular books about evolutionary psychology/evolutionary biology:

Helena Cronin, Ann Campbell (editorial board member of Human Nature, Deirdre Barrett, Nancy Etcoff, Olivia Judson, Meredith F. Small, and Sarah Bluffer Hrdy (editorial board member of Human Nature).

Incidentally, many evolutionary biologists and/or evolutionary psychologists also happen to be avowed feminists including Marlene Zuk (feminist and evolutionary biologist), Patricia Adair Gowaty (feminist and evolutionary biologist; editorial board member of Human Nature), and Griet Vandermassen (seeks to reconcile feminism and evolutionary psychology). Hence, seeking to achieve sexual equality in the political, social, and economic spheres (feminism) does not contradict the fact that men and women do indeed possess many evolutionary-based sexual dimorphisms (including within the mating domain).

I trust that this information will in no way correct the misconception that evolutionary psychologists are largely composed of sexist (and of course aging and white) men. Why let facts come in the way of one's delusional, bitter, and conspiratorial worldviews?

Source for Image:
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