Developmental Theories: The Evolutionary Perspective

Core Learning Objectives

  • Achieve a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary perspective in human development.

  • Gain acquaintance with various inherited adaptations that account for human behavior and developmental processes.

Foundations of the Evolutionary Perspective

  • Alternative Terminology: The evolutionary perspective is also recognized as the "sociobiological perspective."

  • Theoretical Origin: Formally proposed by E.O. Wilson in 1975.

  • Primary Focus: Centers on the evolutionary and biological bases of human behavior.

  • Theoretical Roots: Heavily influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

  • Multidisciplinary Integration: Draws upon empirical findings across several specialized fields:

    • Anthropology

    • Ecology

    • Genetics

    • Ethology

    • Evolutionary Psychology

  • Core Objective: Explains the adaptive, or survival, value that specific behaviors provide for an individual.

Darwinian Evolutionary Principles and Natural Selection

  • Core Postulates of Darwin's Evolutionary Theory:

    • Organisms vary in their physical and behavioral traits.

    • Limited available resources exist for all organisms to survive, creating environmental pressures.

    • Individual differences present in organisms are heritable across generations.

  • Natural Selection Definition:

    • Defined as the differential survival and reproduction of different variants of members of a species.

    • Serves as the primary tool utilized by the natural world to shape evolutionary processes over time.

  • Transmission of Adaptive Traits:

    • Individuals equipped with traits that are more adaptive to their environment survive at higher rates and pass on more of those traits to future generations.

    • Categories and Examples of Passed-Down Traits:

    • Physical Traits: Structural features adapted for environmental conditions (e.g., the white fur of polar bears).

    • Behavioral Traits: Action patterns facilitating survival or mating (e.g., mating dances).

    • Psychological Traits: Inherited affective or interactional tendencies (e.g., cuddles).

Ethology and Comparative Behavior Analysis

  • Definition: Ethology is the study of the adaptive behaviors of animal species in natural contexts.

  • Underlying Assumption: Operates on the assumption that such adaptive behaviors evolved directly through natural selection.

  • Methodology: Ethologists systematically compare animals of different species to identify:

    • Behaviors that are universal across species.

    • Behaviors that are specific to a particular species.

    • Behaviors that are modifiable by experience.

  • Proximity Seeking Example:

    • Baby animals that do not stay close to their parents do not survive environmental dangers.

    • Because they do not survive, they do not reproduce later in life, preventing non-proximity-seeking traits from being passed on.

  • Relevance to Human Developmental Psychology:

    • Animal research is incorporated into developmental psychology because humans also possess innate adaptive behaviors.

Evolutionary Psychology and Cognitive Adaptations

  • Distinction from Ethology: While ethologists emphasize cross-species animal comparisons, evolutionary psychologists focus specifically on human beings and apply Darwinian principles to human behavior.

  • Evolved Neural Architecture: Proposes that in addition to physical attributes and external behaviors, specific structures and functional parts of the human brain evolved to address distinct adaptive problems.

  • Cognitive Adaptations: Defined as the psychological products of natural selection in humans.

  • Documented Examples of Human Cognitive Adaptations:

    • Mate selection preferences

    • Fear of heights

    • Food cravings for calorie-rich foods

    • Striving for dominance

    • Perceiving babies as cute

    • Morning sickness

    • Kin selection (inclusive fitness)

    • Social rejection sensitivity

    • Human intelligence

  • Non-Conscious Driver of Adaptation:

    • Although reproductive success is recognized as the key feature driving adaptations, evolutionary psychology does not propose that people are consciously seeking to maximize their reproductive output.

    • Example: Enjoying sexual activities that are explicitly not intended to lead to pregnancy.

Environmental Context and Cognitive Flexibility

  • Rebuttal of Genetic Determinism:

    • Early critics of the evolutionary perspective argued that it reduced human behavior strictly to the dictates of genetic imperatives.

    • Evolutionary psychology is not deterministic; it places great weight on the specific environment to which humans adapt and emphasizes the flexibility of the human mind.

  • Context-Dependent Trait Valuation Examples:

    • Resource-Scarce Environment: Traits such as generosity, the ability to share food, or skill in farming and hunting become highly valued.

    • Resource-Abundant Environment: Physical attractiveness or creativity carry greater weight in social and mate preference, given that basic survival needs are already met.

    • Modern Urban Context: Education level, career stability, or shared values are prioritized, reflecting ongoing cultural and social adaptations.

Critical Questions and Contextual Application

  • Applicability to the Filipino Context:

    • Is the evolutionary perspective applicable to Filipinos? What are the specific reasons for or against its applicability?

  • Critique regarding Filipino Dynamics:

    • If criticizing this perspective in terms of its applicability among Filipinos, what specific theoretical or cultural limitations should be identified?

Main Theoretical References

  • Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2008). Theories of personality (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

  • Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2016). Theories of human development (2nd ed.). Routledge.

  • Papalia, D. E., & Martorell, G. (2021). Experience human development (14th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.