Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind [Hardcover]

David M. Buss (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205193587 | ISBN-13: 978-0205193585 | Publication Date: November 23, 1998 | Edition: 1st

Evolutionary psychology is a new and revolutionary science, rapidly growing in scientific practice and media attention. David Buss, a leading researcher in the field, has written the first comprehensive text on the subject, introducing students to a new perspective on the fascinating puzzles of human nature. Composed of cutting-edge research and featuring an engaging writing style, the author offers compelling scientific answers to the profound human questions of love and work. Beginning with a historical introduction, the text logically progresses by discussing adaptive problems that humans face, and ends with a unifying chapter showing how the new field of evolutionary psychology encompasses all branches of psychology. Each chapter is alive with the subjects that most occupy our minds: sex, mating, getting along, getting ahead, friends, enemies, and social hierarchies. Why is child abuse 40 times more prevalent among step-families than biologically intact families? According to one study, why did 75% of men but 0% of women consent to have sex with a complete stranger?Buss explores these intriguing quandaries with his vision of psychology in the new millennium as a new science of the mind.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Composed of cutting-edge reasearch and featuring an engaging writing style, the author offers compelling scientific answers to the profound human questions regarding love and work.

Beginning with a historial introduction, the text logically progresses by discussing adaptive problems humans face and ends with a chapter showing how the new field of evolutionary psychology encompasses all branches of psychology. Each chapter is alive with the subjects that most occupy our minds: sex, mating, getting along, getting ahead, friends, enemies, and social hierarchies. Why is child abuse 40 times more prevalent among step-families than biologically intact families? Why, according to one study, did 75% of men but 0% of women consent to have sex with a complete stranger? Buss explores these intriguing quandaries with his vision of psychology in the new millenium as a new science of the mind.

Anyone with an interest in the biological facets of human psychology will find this a fascinating read.

About the Author

David M. Buss received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkley in 1981. He began his career in academics at Harvard, later moving to the University of Michigan before accepting his current position as Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas. His primary research interests include human sexuality, mating strategies, conflict between the sexes, homicide, stalking, and sexual victimization. The author of more than 200 scientific articles and 6 books, Buss has won numerous awards including the American Psychological Association (APA) Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology (1988), the APA G. Stanley Hall Lectureship (1990), the APA Distinguished Scientist Lecturer Award (2001), and the Robert W. Hamilton Book Award (2000) for the first edition of Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind. He is also the editor of the first comprehensive Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology (2005, Wiley). He enjoys extensive cross-cultural research collaborations and lectures widely within the United States and abroad.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 456 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 1st edition (November 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205193587
• ISBN-13: 978-0205193585
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,048,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After completing his doctorate in 1981 at the University of California, Berkeley, David Buss spent four years as Assistant Professor at Harvard University. In 1985, he migrated to the University of Michigan, where he taught for 11 years before accepting his current position at the University of Texas in 1996. His primary interests include the evolutionary psychology of human mating strategies; conflict between the sexes; prestige, status, and social reputation; the emotion of jealousy; homicide; anti-homicide defenses; and stalking.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A triumphantly successful milestone for modern psychology., February 3, 1999

By 

Lance Hetzler (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind (Hardcover)

Professor Buss has taken upon himself the formidable challenge of producing the first evolutionary psychology textbook, a milestone that is long overdue. In his endeavor he has succeeded magnificently. In 411 pages he manages a sterling job of covering the most important topics in evolutionary psychology, bringing to bear the most up to date literature in a simple to read yet academically compelling format. He begins with a complete and intelligent introduction to both evolutionary theory and the events leading to the development of an evolutionary psychology. Thereafter, he covers broad branches of human behavior - kin relations, cooperative relationships, warfare, aggression, status-seeking, parenting and, of course, human mating strategies. This last topic is covered in several different chapters and highlights the authorąs own valuable, ground-breaking work done in the area. His book provides a miraculous combination of both utterly fascinating and effortless reading, rare qualities in textbooks. No review can be complete without mention of a few blemishes, however minor and in this case it is particularly tempting to simply omit them entirely. However, Dr. Buss occasionally relies heavily, too heavily perhaps, on secondary or general sources of information (i.e., Dawkins, de Waal, Pinker) when more research oriented sources are available. No doubt this stems, at least in part, from the fact that there is simply not as much primary literature on the subject as one could hope for (at least where humans are concerned). This will undoubtedly be improved by the time the next edition rolls off the press. Too, one would greatly hope that future editions of this text might include a section on foraging/hunting and food adaptations since they are so fundamental to survival and because so many other primate species display overt and well-studied feeding adaptations. However, such minor details are utterly dwarfed by the magnitude, importance and quality of this work. The breadth, depth and timeliness of this textbook cannot be overstated. If you are planning on teaching an undergraduate course on evolutionary psychology or are simply interested in learning more about the subject, this is, without question, the most authoritative and comprehensive vehicle available, eclipsing even the extraordinary Adapted Mind.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent textbook for undergraduate students., October 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind (Hardcover)

By working from the premises of Tooby & Cosmides' Integrated Causal Model, David Buss has done an outstanding job of making accessible not only the complex historical development of evolutionary psychology, but also inclusive fitness theory, specific evolutionary hypotheses and specific predictions derived from these hypotheses. Furthermore, Buss is comprehensive, balanced and precise when asserting theories and empirical substantiation from other major thinkers, viz., Trivers, Pinker, Bloom, Ridley, Symons, Williams, Mayr, Plomin, DeFries, etc.

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Introduction to Evolutionary Psychology, July 12, 2000

By 

Robert H. Pietrzak - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind (Hardcover)

In "Evolutionary Psychology -- The New Science of Mind," David M. Buss delivers a comprehensive, well-detailed, and illustrative presentation of evolved psychological mechanisms that have become universal across the human species while detailing the biology necessary to understand evolutionary theory and how it applies to human psychology. Organizationally-sound, the textbook reads like a novel, clearly providing theoretical and empirical information requisite for a fundamental understanding of Evolutionary Psychology. Buss' volume is essential reading for students of Evolutionary Psychology and very suitable reading for those of us interested in why we are the way we are. For more advanced readers, "The Adapted Mind," edited by Barkow, Cosmides, and Tooby is an ideal choice.