| Unit name | Evolutionary Psychology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PSYC30001 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1A (weeks 1 - 6) |
| Unit director | Professor. Penton-Voak |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Level 5 Psychology |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Psychological Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
The unit will introduce evolutionary approaches to psychology, and provide a framework for independent in-depth study of current research literature in the area. Evolution is a powerful but problematic theory in science, as evolutionary theory is considered by some to be untestable, and by others to have undesirable but unavoidable political and moral consequences, especially when applied to human social behaviour. After an introduction to some basic theories in evolutionary biology of social behaviour (natural selection, sexual selection, kin selection, reciprocity and parental investment), the unit content will cover a broad range of issues in human behaviour. As differential reproduction is the 'engine' that drives evolution, we will consider the evolution of sex, sexual selection (competition for mates and mate choice), and mating systems in detail. We will also look at human life history, parental investment, cooperation/altruism and modular cognition. The unit aims to develop students' intellectual skills and knowledge base. Students will be furnished with a thorough understanding of contemporary issues in the subject area and will learn about the role of empirical evidence in the formation of theory. The acquisition of both generic and specific skills is furthered, and students are expected to be able to systematically analyse the relationships between multiple perspectives in the light of theory and evidence, and show an impressive grasp of theory and creative insight. Students are expected to further develop written and information synthesis skills, as well as critical evaluation skills by producing a piece of assessed written work and exams. Students will gain an understanding of the contributions made by different methodological approaches within evolutionary psychology (an interdisciplinary area influenced by biology, anthropology, primatology and psychology). Students will develop an awareness of the position of evolutionary psychology with respect to other branches of the social sciences, and an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of such an approach to psychology.
On completion of the unit, the students will:
18 lectures/critical issue discussion sessions and 1 tutorial (up to 15 students in each tutorial)
Coursework: 1 x 1600 word essay
Examination: 1 x 2 hour exam
Final Grade: Based on 30% coursework and 70% exam.
