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Evolutionary Psychology and the Modular Mind

Evolutionary Psychology and the Modular Mind. James A. Van Slyke. Evolutionary Psychology (EP). Various physical adaptations evolved to serve some function Heart = pump blood Eyes = vision Sexual Organs = reproduction

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Evolutionary Psychology and the Modular Mind

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  1. Evolutionary Psychology and the Modular Mind James A. Van Slyke

  2. Evolutionary Psychology (EP) • Various physical adaptations evolved to serve some function • Heart = pump blood • Eyes = vision • Sexual Organs = reproduction • EP argues that some adaptations are cognitive programs that solved adaptive problems

  3. John Tooby & Leda Cosmides • UCSB • Both Psychologists • Started the EP movement in the early 1990’s • The Adopted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture (1992)

  4. Steven Pinker • Harvard University • The Language Instinct (1994) • Language comes from an innate cognitive module that contains general rules for grammar • The Blank Slate (2002) • Mind is composed of several innate cognitive capacities

  5. Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA) • Human cognition primarily evolved during the Pleistocene era (2.5 mil to 12,000 years ago) • Adaptive problems faced during this hunter-gatherer age are the primary factors involved in the evolution of human cognition • Reproduction • Survival & Hunting • Living in Groups

  6. Standard Social Science Model (SSSM) • Social Science assumes that the human mind is a “blank slate” • Culture specifies important values • Gender Roles; Morals; Religion, etc. • Most things are learned • Human mind is like a sponge

  7. Swiss Army Knife Cognition • Rather than a sponge, cognition functions through different adaptive tools or modules • Cognitive programs that solved different adaptive problems • Environmental stimuli triggers different tools • Mate selection • Group coordination (Hunting) • Cheater detection

  8. Modular Mind • Human Cognition is composed of different “modules” or “tools” • Domain specific cognitive programs • Work below the level of conscious awareness • Automatically activated in the right context • Human mind is composed of thousands if not millions

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