A Mind of Her Own: The Evolutionary Psychology of Women [Hardcover]

Anne Campbell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198504985 | ISBN-13: 978-0198504986 | Publication Date: April 11, 2002 | Edition: 1

Current theories of evolution portray men as active individuals forging their way forward through a mix of testosterone fuelled competition, rivalry, and aggression. But what role is left for women within such evolutionary thinking? The role women get is that of the passive, weak, individual left to ride on the coat tails of their male suitors. The default, no testosterone sex interested in just selecting the best male to expand the gene pool . Is it any wonder that feminists are dismissive of such evolutionary approaches? That many have sought to ignore the contribution that evolutionary theory can make to our understanding of women. But have women really just been bit part actors in the whole story of evolution? Have they not played their own role in ensuring their reproductive success?
In this highly accessible and thought provoking new book, Anne Campbell challenges this passive role of women in evolutionary theory, and redresses the current bias within evolutionary writing. Guiding us through the basics of evolutionary theory, she proposes that women have forged their own strategic way forward, acting through their own competition, rivalry, indirect aggression, and unfaithfulness,to shape their own destiny. Throwing down a challenge to feminist theories, Campbell argues that evolutionary theory can indeed teach us plenty about the development of the female mind - we just need to get it right. This is an important book that will force others to re-evaluate their own assumptions about the evolution of the female mind.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Anne Campbell's book, A Mind of Her Own: The Evolutionary Psychology of Women, is an excellent analysis of the differences between aspects of women's and men's lives, as interpreted using evolutionary theory. Although this discussion is interesting in itself, the true value of the book lies in the examination of a much neglected area of evolutionary psychology: Differences in intrasexual competition. . A Mind of Her Own is a highly enjoyable and informative read. Campbell's examination of differences in intrasexual competition, using the evolutionary perspective, provides a unique view on this much neglected topic. While the book will appeal to the general public, scholars will find it a detailed reference and a valuable addition to their library."--Human Nature

"A well-organized, well-written, up-to-date textbook on evolutionary psychology, which stands out from the pack."--Jerome H. Barkow, Trends in Cognitive Science, June 2002

"In her readable and thought-provoking account, Campbell argues that there are profound differences between women, and that is both a cause and a consequence of directional selection on female psychology. . .Campbell provides an excellent taxonomy of nine classes of feminism. This book will stimulate an important debate and ensure that evolution cannot be ignored."--Anne Magurran, Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

Anne Campbell is a highly experienced and well known academic psychologist. She has authored and edited several books, though has the academic background and credibility to back up the controverisal thesis she presents in this book

Product Details

• Hardcover: 402 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (April 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198504985
• ISBN-13: 978-0198504986
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,244,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Piece of Work, November 1, 2005

By 

L. SAXON - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Mind of Her Own: The Evolutionary Psychology of Women (Hardcover)

Anne Campbell looks at why females are too easily presumed to be merely passive receivers of winning males' sperm.

Considering the enormous burden of motherhood and a mothers need for resources for both herself and her limited number of potential offspring it should follow that females will compete with each other for resources and there will be differential reproductive success amongst females.

But it is also essential for females to preserve their own health throughout their reproductive lifetime so open, physical aggression is not normally an option. (It is an option for males who can maximise their number of offspring in a brief spell of copulatory access to a number of females.)

So female competition is indirect and low-level harrassment except when the mother needs to show full aggression to directly protect her offspring.

Campbell discusses hormone studies - particularly serotonin and dopamine - suggesting that different levels of these in the sexes provide a braking system on female emotions and impulsive behaviour but less so on males. Hence greater male impulsivity, risk-taking, violence and even suicide. Only the male had the potential for reproductive gains via this weaker braking system.

Campbell also makes many more points about females and males such as the rarity of male parental care in nature and the possible reasons for monogamy eg the female trades sex for the protection of one male against numerous other males who may also be infanticidal. She also discusses female crime and female friendship.

And regarding modern women she points out that there is nothing new about women working except that women have to leave their children to do so.

This is a solid, wide-ranging book providng sound evolutionary reasons for women's psychology and behaviour. She includes the important points about variation within the sexes and the overlap of the sexes. But by considering the reality of how males and females achieved reproductive success in different ways during evolution she explains much about the differences between the sexes today.

Highly recommended.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very influential book about womens behaviors, January 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Mind of Her Own: The Evolutionary Psychology of Women (Hardcover)

Quite simply, I am impressed with the value and scope of this manuscript. It is the most influential piece of work written about the mind and behavior of women to appear in history (and yes that is a bold statement, read it you won't be disappointed). I say kudos for taking on a topic of such magnitude, and bringing to light the fact that women too have an evolutionary past. This book is loaded with insight about women's behaviors such as social aggression, friendship, love and marriage. And far from offering simple opinions, the ideas and explanations are backed up by a stagering mound of scientific data. Whether you are an academic or the average Jane, this book is bound to be a classic read for anyone interested in the unique behaviors of women.