Directions: This assignment should be completed independently outside of class. Although controversial, evolutionary psychology helps to provide insight into multiple aspects of human development. Evolutionary psychology applies principles of evolution and scientific knowledge about the interactive influence of genetic and environmental mechanisms to understand the changes people undergo throughout their lifetime. Select one of the following topics: obesity, aggression, marriage, gender differences in sexual behavior, mate selection, homosexuality, prosocial behavior, mental illness, racism, parenting, or child maltreatment. Next, conduct an online search for an article or two that explains your topic from an evolutionary perspective. Be sure to cite the website(s) or article(s) that you used for this assignment.
Based on your research, answer the following questions:
Briefly describe your topic.
What is the adaptive value of the topic you researched? Keep in mind that “adaptive” does not necessarily mean favorable. For example, eating high-calorie, high-fat foods may have helped ancient man survive harsh winters but today, it is associated with health problems and premature death.
How does the behavior contribute to the survival of our species?
How has the behavior evolved over time? That is, how does it compare to our ancestors’ behavior?
What scientific evidence is provided in the article(s) that supports the evolutionary perspective?
Do you agree with the evolutionary explanation of your topic? Why or why not?
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