A Natural History of the Modern Mind

Cognition, relationships, and evolution.

Kayla Causey is a doctoral candidate studying developmental psychology at Florida Atlantic University, and Aaron Goetz is an evolutionary psychologist at California State University, Fullerton. See full bio

July 23, 2009

Am I Supposed to Be Impressed?

While there is no magical moment at which teenagers immediately engage in reckless abandon, we feel these anecdotes serve to illustrate the epitome of what evolutionary psychologists Margo Wilson and Martin Daly have dubbed, “Young Male Syndrome.” This is a term used to describe the propensity of males, ripened 16 to 24 years, to engage in perilous risk-taking activities, discounting safety, good judgment, and the future. During these years (and in at least one case - ahem - for years after), men feel “invincible” and adopt the “it won’t happen to me” mantra, driving their more reasonable and wiser elders to grow gray hair, wag their fingers, and taunt, “I hope you don’t learn the hard way.” Read More

July 1, 2009

The Halo Effect in Overdrive

The "halo" effect and Michael Jackson.

It has long been noted that people tend to view others holistically, that is, as all good or all bad. This is referred to as the "halo effect" because often it seems one characteristic (albeit positive or negative) seems to "outshine" others and bias our perception in the respective direction. We suppose it could be called the "devil's horns" or "pitchfork" effect, but the metaphor just isn't as pleasant. Read More

June 10, 2009

The "Johnny Depp Effect" - An evolutionary explanation for homosexuality

Homosexuality has a genetic component. If a man's brother is gay, he is four times as likely to also be gay. How can homosexuality be genetic, however, if homosexuals don't reproduce? Two recent studies using twin samples, reported in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, demonstrate how genes that might lead to homosexuality might also lead to reproductive success in their heterosexual carriers. Read More

April 24, 2009

The Most Manipulative of Species

By Kayla Causey & Aaron Goetz

"I hate how they're so cute. I hate it!" -Ryan Moyer, social psychologist and eternal skeptic

We think we're so smart. As humans, we have succeeded in manipulating the environment to meet our needs, a feat unique to our species. So we think.What we might not realize is that we've created a monster who, without even saying a word, manipulates us into willingly relinquishing to it all that we have created. Read More

Evolutionary Psychology Basics

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.

Go to the Evolutionary Psychology Basics page for more on Evolutionary Psychology including:

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