scholarly journals Moral orientations in psychology: contrasting theoretical perspectives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Christopher Wiley
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Moral Obligation ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Scientific Practice ◽  
Relational Development ◽  
Central Focus ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Bidirectional Relationship ◽  
Human Kind ◽  
Undesirable Outcome

BackgroundThe relational development systems (RDS) metamodel embodies a newly recognized scientific paradigm that stands in contrast to the nature-nurture split. It suggests that the bidirectional relationship between an organism and its environment must be the central focus of scientific inquiry.Main bodyRDS theorists suggest scientists have a moral obligation to benefit human kind. However, the potential for interventions that appear efficacious to simultaneously instigate an undesirable outcome suggests that moral clarity might not always exist in scientific practice. Contrasting RDS perspectives with life history theory highlights a pertaining disparity in approaches.ConclusionWhile the RDS metamodel posits many premises necessary to contemporary research, it may not yet be pragmatic to impose moral obligation on the sciences.

scholarly journals An Evolutionary Perspective on Health Psychology: New Approaches and Applications

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 147470491201000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua M. Tybur ◽  
Angela D. Bryan ◽  
Ann E. Caldwell Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Health Psychology ◽  
Life History ◽  
Full Advantage ◽  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Evolutionary Perspectives

Although health psychologists' efforts to understand and promote health are most effective when guided by theory, health psychology has not taken full advantage of theoretical insights provided by evolutionary psychology. Here, we argue that evolutionary perspectives can fruitfully inform strategies for addressing some of the challenges facing health psychologists. Evolutionary psychology's emphasis on modular, functionally specialized psychological systems can inform approaches to understanding the myriad behaviors grouped under the umbrella of “health,” as can theoretical perspectives used by evolutionary anthropologists, biologists, and psychologists (e.g., Life History Theory). We detail some early investigations into evolutionary health psychology, and we provide suggestions for directions for future research.

Interrelationships of factors of social development are more complex than Life History Theory predicts

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Kotchoubey
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Behavioral Features

Abstract Life History Theory (LHT) predicts a monotonous relationship between affluence and the rate of innovations and strong correlations within a cluster of behavioral features. Although both predictions can be true in specific cases, they are incorrect in general. Therefore, the author's explanations may be right, but they do not prove LHT and cannot be generalized to other apparently similar processes.

scholarly journals Five reasons COVID-19 is less severe in younger age groups

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W Turke
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
System Function ◽  
The Third ◽  
Immune System Function ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Younger Age

Abstract The severity of COVID-19 is age-related, with the advantage going to younger age groups. Five reasons are presented. The first two are well-known, are being actively researched by the broader medical community, and therefore are discussed only briefly here. The third, fourth, and fifth reasons derive from evolutionary life history theory, and potentially fill gaps in current understanding of why and how young and old age groups respond differently to infection with SARS-CoV-2. Age of onset of generalized somatic aging, and the timing of its progression, are identified as important causes of these disparities, as are specific antagonistic pleiotropic tradeoffs in immune system function.

Sexual size dimorphism and life history traits in an island-mainland system: an overview of the lizard genus Microlophus

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ken S. Toyama ◽  
Christopher K. Boccia
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
South America ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Sexual Size Dimorphism ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Size Dimorphism ◽  
Rensch's Rule ◽  
Comprehensive Compilation

Abstract Opposing life history strategies are a common result of the different ecological settings experienced by insular and continental species. Here we present a comprehensive compilation of data on sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and life history traits of Microlophus, a genus of lizards distributed in western South America and the Galápagos Islands, and test for differences between insular and continental species under life history theory expectations. Contrary to our predictions, we found no differences in SSD between localities or evidence that Microlophus follows Rensch’s rule. However, as expected, head dimensions and maturity sizes were significantly larger in insular species while continental species had larger clutches. Our results show that Microlophus exhibits some of the patterns expected from an island-mainland system, but unexplained patterns will only be resolved through future ecological, morphological and behavioural studies integrating both faunas.

A Primer of Life Histories

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Hutchings
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Academic Experience ◽  
Sustainable Exploitation ◽  
Evolution Of Life ◽  
Opportune Time

Life histories describe how genotypes schedule their reproductive effort throughout life in response to factors that affect their survival and fecundity. Life histories are solutions that selection has produced to solve the problem of how to persist in a given environment. These solutions differ tremendously within and among species. Some organisms mature within months of attaining life, others within decades; some produce few, large offspring as opposed to numerous, small offspring; some reproduce many times throughout their lives while others die after reproducing just once. The exponential pace of life-history research provides an opportune time to engage and re-engage new generations of students and researchers on the fundamentals and applications of life-history theory. Chapters 1 through 4 describe the fundamentals of life-history theory. Chapters 5 through 8 focus on the evolution of life-history traits. Chapters 9 and 10 summarize how life-history theory and prediction has been applied within the contexts of conservation and sustainable exploitation. This primer offers an effective means of rendering the topic accessible to readers from a broad range of academic experience and research expertise.

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