Evolutionary Psychology (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Donald H. McBurney (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The second edition of Evolutionary Psychology is the only book on the market that shows the relevance of evolutionary thinking to the entire range of psychological phenomena, and it does so at a level appropriate for readers new to the field. Each chapter deals with a particular topic by illustrating how an evolutionary approach illuminates behavior as a response to problems faced by humans in our evolutionary past. The authors—representing the disciplines of both psychology and anthropology—present their material traditionally: they first provide the foundation for understanding the fundamentals of modern evolutionary theory; then systematically apply this theory to learning, cognition, perception, emotion, development, pathology, and more. For any reader interested in a richer understanding of human behavior and the psychological mechanisms that underlie it.

From the Back Cover

The second edition of Evolutionary Psychology is the only book on the market that shows the relevance of evolutionary thinking to the entire range of psychological phenomena, and it does so at a level appropriate for readers new to the field. Each chapter deals with a particular topic by illustrating how an evolutionary approach illuminates behavior as a response to problems faced by humans in our evolutionary past. The authors—representing the disciplines of both psychology and anthropology—present their material traditionally: they first provide the foundation for understanding the fundamentals of modern evolutionary theory; then systematically apply this theory to learning, cognition, perception, emotion, development, pathology, and more. For any reader interested in a richer understanding of human behavior and the psychological mechanisms that underlie it.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 2 edition (August 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131115294
• ISBN-13: 978-0131115293
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #575,028 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent intro, September 6, 2009

By	J. Haberstroh (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is fantastic. It clearly states what hypotheses are made by evolutionary psychology and gets past the endless drivel of arguments against ev psych from people who do not have a clear understanding of the topic. It's a fun easy read, too. A few of the chapters are a bit lacking, mostly because ev psych has very little to say about the topics, however, the ones most pertinent make up for that fact.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the clearest book about Evolutionary Psychology, February 8, 2007

By	J. S. Boster (The woods, CT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the clearest, smartest introduction to the field of evolutionary psychology that exists. Gaulin succinctly, clearly, and brilliantly provides an overview to the whole field. Buy it, read it, live it!

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't leave your house until you read this!, July 4, 2008

By	book reader "psyccrimbuff" (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews

This book is fantastic. It will change your dating life, your family life and your view of the world. It explains everything we do and why. As a psychology and criminology major, it has change how I will pursue my career. You really should read this.
As a note, if you attend UAlbany, the Dr and grad student that teach this class are not recommended even on your best day. They are terrible. The information in this book however, is priceless.