Potential for Collaboration: Differences Between Evolutionary Anthropology and Evolutionary Psychology as Scientific Disciplines

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecka Kathleen Hahnel-Peeters
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Evolutionary Analysis ◽  
Evolutionary Anthropology ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Current Content ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
Empirical Methodology

In a review of evolutionary analysis of human behavior, Alden Smith (2000) argues that evolutionary anthropology and evolutionary psychology should not be considered competing disciplines. If evolutionary anthropology and psychology were to become more collaborative, it would aid our understanding of human nature – regardless of the different assumptions and empirical methodology used by the two disciplines. The recent 10th anniversary of “The WEIRDEST people in the world” (Henrich et al, 2010) presents a good opportunity to assess the current state of the evolutionary social sciences. While scholars (e.g., Barrett, 2020) have provided thoughts on the future direction of the evolutionary social sciences, none have explicitly evaluated the degree to which the various subdisciplines within the evolutionary social sciences have moved toward greater collaboration over the past decade. The current study uses content analysis to systematically examine if the disciplines of evolutionary anthropology and psychology are becoming more collaborative by reporting the frequency of coauthored peer-reviewed papers published in Evolution and Human Behavior (EHB), the type of data, and the empirical methodology used in these papers. A total of 737 articles published in EHB between 2009 and 2020 were coded, and no evidence of increased frequency of anthropologist and psychologist collaborations was found. While evolutionary anthropologists and psychologists did not report different types of data or topics of interest, the methods for hypothesis testing were different. I discuss limitations for the current content analysis and review suggested future steps for unification.

One Name for the Evolutionary Baby? A Preliminary Guide for Everyone Confused by the Chaos of Names

2004 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iver Mysterud
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Human Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Evolutionary Anthropology ◽  
The Past ◽  
Evolutionary Studies ◽  
Human Ethology ◽  
Human Sociobiology

Evolutionary studies of human behavior and design are increasing in popularity. There are now few topics or disciplines where an evolutionary perspective is not applied. For the past 40 years, evolutionary approaches to human behavior and design have been given many names, e.g. human ethology, human sociobiology, human behavioral ecology, evolutionary anthropology and evolutionary psychology. This diversity may be confusing when one first becomes interested in evolutionary studies. Different names have come and gone – often because they have become unpopular in someone’s mind – while some names have survived and remained, but are often used with different meanings. This article presents the preliminary result of a scrutiny of names used in the evolutionary literature and what they mean. I also briefly discuss why there is a surplus of names and consider if we should attempt to find one name for the field(s) or if we should continue with the diversity.

Evolutionary Psychology: The Wheat and the Chaff

2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 187-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frans B.M. de Waal
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Hostile Takeover ◽  
Darwinian Revolution ◽  
The Social ◽  
Brain Circuitry ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Underlying Theme

Evolutionary approaches are on the rise in the social sciences and have the potential to bring an all–encompassing conceptual framework to the study of human behavior. Together with neuroscience, which is digging the grave of mind–body dualism, evolutionary psychology is bound to undermine the still reigning human–animal dualism. If a Darwinian reshaping of the social sciences seems inevitable, even desirable, this should not be looked at as a hostile takeover. The underlying theme of this essay is that it is time for psychologists to join the Darwinian revolution, yet the essay also critically reviews current evolutionary psychology. It questions the loose application of adaptationist thinking and the fragmentation of the genome, behavior, and the brain. From biology we learn that not every species–typical trait is necessarily advantageous, and from neuroscience we learn that not every psychological ability or tendency necessarily needs to have its own specialized brain circuitry. But even if the concept of adaptation is hard to apply, psychologists would do well to start looking at human behavior in the light of evolution.

“We Speak the Truth!”

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-80
Author(s):  
Sari Hanafi
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Social Science ◽  
The Political ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
The Social ◽  
Academic Qualifications

This study investigates the preachers and their Friday sermons in Lebanon, raising the following questions: What are the profiles of preachers in Lebanon and their academic qualifications? What are the topics evoked in their sermons? In instances where they diagnosis and analyze the political and the social, what kind of arguments are used to persuade their audiences? What kind of contact do they have with the social sciences? It draws on forty-two semi-structured interviews with preachers and content analysis of 210 preachers’ Friday sermons, all conducted between 2012 and 2015 among Sunni and Shia mosques. Drawing from Max Weber’s typology, the analysis of Friday sermons shows that most of the preachers represent both the saint and the traditional, but rarely the scholar. While they are dealing extensively with political and social phenomena, rarely do they have knowledge of social science

Islamic Science

1993 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-311
Author(s):  
Sirajul Husain
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Islamic Science ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Empirical Methodology ◽  
Human Inquiry

The term "Islamic science" can be defined as the scientific way of definingand comborating the uniquely monotheistic concept of tuwhfd(unity), a concept that can serve as an epistemological manifold for intellectualinquiry and development. In this context, science is taken as a systematicway of looking at things or, in other words, as both a philosophyof knowledge as well as an empirical methodology. When taken in its entirety,science includes the whole spectrum of human inquiry rangingfrom ontology to epistemology, from causality to cosmology, and fromthe natural and social sciences to technology. It may be noted that beyondan axiomatic application based on a metaphysical definition of tawhid,there has been no scientific attempt to analyze and substantiate thisconcept. This axiomatic application of tawhid, especially when dealing withan analysis of developments in knowledge, raises certain epistemologicalquestions. As it does not scientifically define or discuss the verypremise-tawhid-on which the analysis is being based, this is to be expected.Furthermore, for example, the axiomatic application of tuwhid topurge the corpus of knowledge of its secular elements and then reconstructit within the tawhidi framework cannot be fulfilled, as it is unableto furnish a tawhid-based scientific temperament without first providingscientific combomtion of the concept itself. It is from such an epistemologicalviewpoint that we find the contributions of Muslims to variousfields of leaming tend to be more sentimental than scientific.The need to develop Islamic science also arises from the fact thatmost modem scientists are known to be secular, as they have consciouslyevaded the issue of the existence of a Creator. This is the result of their ...

Integrating Mechanisms and Functions to Understand Behavior

2019 ◽  
pp. xiv-9
Author(s):  
Lisa L. M. Welling ◽  
Todd K. Shackelford
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Reproductive Behavior ◽  
Affective Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Endocrinology ◽  
Human Psychology ◽  
Proximate Mechanisms ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Influence Behavior ◽  
Evolutionary Perspectives

Evolutionary psychology and behavioral endocrinology provide complementary perspectives on interpreting human behavior and psychology. Hormones can function as underlying mechanisms that influence behavior in functional ways. Understanding these proximate mechanisms can inform ultimate explanations of human psychology. This chapter introduces this edited volume by first discussing evolutionary perspectives in behavioral endocrinology. It then briefly addresses three broad topic areas of behavioral endocrinology: (1) development and survival, (2) reproductive behavior, and (3) social and affective behavior. It provides examples of research within each of these areas and describes potential adaptations. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the importance of integrating mechanisms with function when investigating human behavior and psychology.

APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES IN MS. PAC-MAN GAME: A REVIEW

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tse Guan Tan ◽  
Jason Teo
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Engineering Economics ◽  
Game Ai ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Future Direction

AbstrakTeknik Kecerdasan Buatan (AI) berjaya digunakan dan diaplikasikan dalam pelbagai bidang, termasukpembuatan, kejuruteraan, ekonomi, perubatan dan ketenteraan. Kebelakangan ini, terdapat minat yangsemakin meningkat dalam Permainan Kecerdasan Buatan atau permainan AI. Permainan AI merujukkepada teknik yang diaplikasikan dalam permainan komputer dan video seperti pembelajaran, pathfinding,perancangan, dan lain-lain bagi mewujudkan tingkah laku pintar dan autonomi kepada karakter dalampermainan. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk mengemukakan beberapa teknik yang biasa digunakandalam merekabentuk dan mengawal karakter berasaskan komputer untuk permainan Ms Pac-Man antaratahun 2005-2012. Ms Pac-Man adalah salah satu permainan yang digunakan dalam siri pertandinganpermainan diperingkat antarabangsa sebagai penanda aras untuk perbandingan pengawal autonomi.Kaedah analisis kandungan yang menyeluruh dijalankan secara ulasan dan sorotan literatur secara kritikal.Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa, walaupun terdapat berbagai teknik, limitasi utama dalam kajianterdahulu untuk mewujudkan karakter permaianan Pac Man adalah kekurangan Generalization Capabilitydalam kepelbagaian karakter permainan. Hasil kajian ini akan dapat digunakan oleh penyelidik untukmeningkatkan keupayaan Generalization AI karakter permainan dalam Pasaran Permainan KecerdasanBuatan. Abstract Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques are successfully used and applied in a wide range of areas, includingmanufacturing, engineering, economics, medicine and military. In recent years, there has been anincreasing interest in Game Artificial Intelligence or Game AI. Game AI refers to techniques applied incomputer and video games such as learning, pathfinding, planning, and many others for creating intelligentand autonomous behaviour to the characters in games. The main objective of this paper is to highlightseveral most common of the AI techniques for designing and controlling the computer-based charactersto play Ms. Pac-Man game between years 2005-2012. The Ms. Pac-Man is one of the games that used asbenchmark for comparison of autonomous controllers in a series of international Game AI competitions.An extensive content analysis method was conducted through critical review on previous literature relatedto the field. Findings highlight, although there was various and unique techniques available, the majorlimitation of previous studies for creating the Ms. Pac-Man game characters is a lack of generalizationcapability across different game characters. The findings could provide the future direction for researchersto improve the Generalization A.I capability of game characters in the Game Artificial Intelligence market.

scholarly journals Evolutionary Psychology in the Modern World: Applications, Perspectives, and Strategies

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 147470491201000 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Craig Roberts ◽  
Mark van Vugt ◽  
Robin I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Evolutionary Approach ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Darwinian Medicine ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Economics And Politics

An evolutionary approach is a powerful framework which can bring new perspectives on any aspect of human behavior, to inform and complement those from other disciplines, from psychology and anthropology to economics and politics. Here we argue that insights from evolutionary psychology may be increasingly applied to address practical issues and help alleviate social problems. We outline the promise of this endeavor, and some of the challenges it faces. In doing so, we draw parallels between an applied evolutionary psychology and recent developments in Darwinian medicine, which similarly has the potential to complement conventional approaches. Finally, we describe some promising new directions which are developed in the associated papers accompanying this article.

scholarly journals Tipping points among social learners: Tools from varied disciplines

2012 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 298-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Alexander Bentley ◽  
Michael J. O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Animal Behavior ◽  
Collective Behavior ◽  
Tipping Points ◽  
Physical Sciences ◽  
The Social

Abstract There is a long and rich tradition in the social sciences of using models of collective behavior in animals as jumping-off points for the study of human behavior, including collective human behavior. Here, we come at the problem in a slightly different fashion. We ask whether models of collective human behavior have anything to offer those who study animal behavior. Our brief example of tipping points, a model first developed in the physical sciences and later used in the social sciences, suggests that the analysis of human collective behavior does indeed have considerable to offer [Current Zoology 58 (2): 298–306, 2012].

scholarly journals Literature and Psychology in the Context of the Interaction of Social Sciences

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-55
Author(s):  
Badegül Can Emir
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Virginia Woolf ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Literary Works ◽  
Fyodor Dostoevsky ◽  
Lev Tolstoy ◽  
The Relationship

There is a two-way relationship between literature and psychology coming together on the same intersection at the point of essential people and human behavior. As it is possible to approach literature and to evaluate literary works with the resources of psychology, and of literary sciences, so it is also possible to consider literary works based on psychology and to discover psychological facts in literature. Thus, both psychologists and writers have taken into consideration the relationship between literature and psychology. Studies of the science of psychology directed to literature, literary works and writers that was introduced by Freud continued with other outstanding theorists of psychology such as Adler, Jung, Lacan, From, Reich and Klein. Likewise, writers and literary theorists such as N.Holland, Lev Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Virginia Woolf contributed to the psychology of literature. This paper is an effort to analyze the relationship between literature and psychology considering the wide field which the science of psychology opens for literature.

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