Evolutionary Psychology ERQ

Evolutionary psychology

Explains behaviour as a product of natural selection—behaviours that enhanced survival or reproduction were passed down.

Behaviours explained by evolutionary psychology

Jealousy and disgust.

Focus of Curtis et al. (2004)

Investigating disgust as a disease-avoidance mechanism.

Aim of Curtis et al. (2004)

To investigate if disgust evolved as a way to protect humans from disease.

Method of Curtis et al. (2004)

Online survey with over 77,000 participants across 165 countries. Participants rated 20 images (disease-relevant and non-disease-relevant) on how disgusting they found them.

Key findings of Curtis et al. (2004)

Disease-relevant images were rated most disgusting, women showed higher disgust sensitivity (especially during reproductive years), and disgust responses were consistent across cultures.

Conclusion of Curtis et al. (2004)

Disgust likely evolved to protect humans from pathogens, especially for women during childbearing years.

Strengths of Curtis et al. (2004)

Large, cross-cultural sample increases generalisability; findings support the universality of disgust, implying an evolutionary basis.

Limitations of Curtis et al. (2004)

Self-report method lacks experimental control; subjective ratings may vary depending on cultural or individual experiences.

Focus of Buss et al. (1992)

Exploring jealousy as an evolved sex difference.

Aim of Buss et al. (1992)

To investigate whether men and women respond differently to sexual vs. emotional infidelity due to evolutionary pressures.

Sample used in Buss et al. (1992)

202 U.S. undergraduates (83 men, 119 women).

Procedure of Buss et al. (1992)

Participants imagined two scenarios (partner having sex vs. partner falling in love) and indicated which was more distressing. Physiological responses were also recorded.

Key findings of Buss et al. (1992)

Men were more distressed by sexual infidelity (linked to paternal uncertainty); women were more distressed by emotional infidelity (linked to resource loss); physiological responses supported self-reports.

Conclusion of Buss et al. (1992)

Jealousy evolved differently in males and females to address sex-specific reproductive threats.

Strengths of Buss et al. (1992)

Supports evolutionary theory (parental investment theory); physiological data matched self-reports, increasing validity.

Limitations of Buss et al. (1992)

Small, culturally homogenous sample (U.S. students); hypothetical scenarios may not reflect real emotional responses.

Additional limitation in Buss et al. (1992)

Results may reflect cultural gender norms as much as biological factors.

Support for evolutionary explanations by Curtis et al. and Buss et al.

They show consistent patterns of adaptive behaviours—disgust to avoid disease and jealousy to protect reproductive success—across individuals and cultures.

Shared methodological limitation of Curtis et al. and Buss et al.

Both rely heavily on hypothetical scenarios and self-report measures, which may not accurately reflect real-world behaviour.

Criticism of evolutionary explanations as reductionist

They often overlook the roles of social, emotional, and cultural influences on behaviour.

Final conclusion about evolutionary psychology

Evolutionary psychology offers powerful insights into universal behaviours like disgust and jealousy, but should be used cautiously, recognising the interaction between biological, social, and cultural factors.