Institute for Evolutionary Psychology

[Tyra]

I’m interested to learn more about Evolutionary Psychology study which represents modern scientific research delivering a solid conclusion regarding human behavior, explaining how a specific behavior is genetically determined, and what that mutation was reinforced to solve. Could you please suggest me a good online course?

[Phi for All]

Doesn't your title give away the fact that you're working for the Institute?

[iNow]

This isn't really an "online resource," but it is a good book:

 

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471264032,descCd-tableOfContents.html

 

 

David Buss is a former instructor of mine, and he is a leader in the field. I've learned that he's good at what he does, and recommend his work when you view the literature.

 

 

I especially enjoyed the book on jealousy.

[pioneer]

Evolutionary psychology should actually be the mind evolving genetics and not the other way around. The reason I say this is to look at evolutionary time scales of other genetic changes. Compare this to the time scales associated with the advancement in human behavior. If the latter was due to mutations, one would have to answer the question, why didn't the DNA mutate more randomly and change the body as fast?

 

If you look at animals and animal behavior physical differences tend to outweigh or balance behavior difference. Look at schools of fish. The environment will have impact but this too is environment pushing DNA. For example, I could take a baby from a primative tribe. If the DNA is the king of the hill, it should be impossible to train them to do anything. But if we bring him/her up in a modern environment, some things may remain the same, but many things will change. Does that mean the DNA has changed? After a few generation, there will be few distinctions. Many of the babies will advance along side modern children. Does that mean 5000 years of evolution was programmed into the DNA in 60 years?

 

If you look at the evolution of human behavior, since we could train a someone from a primative tribe, to get up to steam with modern behavior in only a few generations, suggests it was not genetics that was limiting the advancement of behavior, but it was connected to the social environment. If their social environment had been much more condusive to behavioral evolution, it would have happened much faster.

 

For example, not to get religious on you, the behavior of the earliest Christains, would still be acceptable in modern times. It may not be for everyone, but it was harmless and doesn't really violate others. But the behavior of the Romans ,at that time, would not be tolerated, since it would lead to behavior that goes way outside what would be modern. If you think dogs fighting is cruel, how about wild dogs versus humans. Yet this less evolved behavior was in charge at that time, slowing progress.

 

What it amounts to is social Darwinism slowing behavior evolution. The social Darwinism has it connection to the conservative path of nature and evolution. The human mind is able to exceed this pace, but can get too far ahead. It can lose it connection to the natural pace of nature. So nature, via social darwinisn, pulls the reins back to slow the pace back to nature. It may be a tension of opposites to make sure we stayed aligned to all the evoluton that came before us, that set the stage for the future.

[iNow]

Blah Blah Blah... I didn't read the question... Blah Blah Blah... Look at my soapbox...

How does your post help answer the OPs request for assistance to find a good online resource for Evolutionary Psychology?

[sarah.jennif]

I don’t have much knowledge on the subject but appears to be interesting. I have come across a site http://www.paidtospam.com “Institute of Lies and More Lies” special NGO consultant to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. I think they are the right people to help you.

Best of luck!

[Phi for All]

Since Tyra and sarah.jennif both joined to comment on this, one to pose the question and the other to supply the answer, AND they both have the same ISP from India, I checked around some other forums and found this is a marketing scam. They are promoting this "Institute" and have no intention of discussing anything.

 

I will leave this up for the rest of today and then remove it formally so we don't help their Google rankings.

[iNow]

They are promoting this "Institute" and have no intention of discussing anything.

Good catch Phi for All.

 

Maybe we could instead discuss the evolution of spam, and the evolved motivations which lead to the psychology of a spammer. Just not in this thread, as we'd keep it active for too long by doing so.

 

 

With all that fish, why do they love it so much in Hawaii?

[Phi for All]

Maybe we could instead discuss the evolution of spam, and the evolved motivations which lead to the psychology of a spammer.

This is also known as a whisper campaign. One person poses the problem and the other one provides the solution. The best of them join forums and actually contribute so that they are taken more seriously when they begin to promote their agenda. The worst are people like these, who join and start spamming right away.

[Pangloss]

We've been getting a number of these lately. I suspect we're on a list.

[Paralith]

Evolutionary psychology should actually be the mind evolving genetics and not the other way around. The reason I say this is to look at evolutionary time scales of other genetic changes. Compare this to the time scales associated with the advancement in human behavior. If the latter was due to mutations, one would have to answer the question, why didn't the DNA mutate more randomly and change the body as fast?

 

Human cultural behavior does indeed change very fast, thanks to our high intelligence. However, the intelligence that allows us to culturally develop is based on genes, and therefore determined by our evolution. Things like emotions and other basal drives are also largely affected by our genes and therefore our evolution - and that's what evolutionary psychologists study, those influences on modern human behavior. They're not saying that genes are the sole component of behavior. Now, social environments can act as a selective agent on our genes. After all, high social status gives you greater reproductive success. But I don't think that's quite the same as "the mind evolving genetics," as social structures are also heavily influenced by the environment in which they evolved.

 

What it amounts to is social Darwinism slowing behavior evolution. The social Darwinism has it connection to the conservative path of nature and evolution. The human mind is able to exceed this pace, but can get too far ahead. It can lose it connection to the natural pace of nature. So nature, via social darwinisn, pulls the reins back to slow the pace back to nature. It may be a tension of opposites to make sure we stayed aligned to all the evoluton that came before us, that set the stage for the future.

 

I think I should tell you that the term social Darwinism is actually a political one; it more or less amounts to people twisting evolutionary theory to meet political ends - like the Nazis using it to justify the killing of Jews. You seem to be using the term with a different meaning in mind, which is going to confuse people.

 

I also think it's incorrect to say that the human mind is "exceeding" nature. The mind is rooted in nature. The structure and functioning of our brains is rooted in our genes and our evolution. We are rapidly changing the environment in which we function, both environmentally and socially, so that many of the previously evolved basic motivations don't necessarily apply anymore - but, they are still present, and still affect people. Just because the law says we're not allowed to kill people in cold blood doesn't mean we don't still want to do it sometimes. After all, why would we need the law if no one wanted to do it? Our intelligence allows us to control our own behavior to a greater extent than other animals, but the influences are still there.

 

And, uh, boo to spammers!

 

The best of them join forums and actually contribute so that they are taken more seriously when they begin to promote their agenda.

 

I know a guy who did this for a living. The company required their employees to make at least 100 neutral posts in a forum to establish themselves before they attempted to sway the members' opinions about a certain video game or movie or tv show - depending on who the client was, of course.

[Reaper]

Good catch Phi for All.

 

Maybe we could instead discuss the evolution of spam, and the evolved motivations which lead to the psychology of a spammer. Just not in this thread, as we'd keep it active for too long by doing so.

 

 

With all that fish, why do they love it so much in Hawaii?

 

 

http://www.templetons.com/brad/spamterm.html

 

Here's a quote:

 

Most people have some vague awareness that it came from at first from the spam skit by Monty Python's Flying Circus. In the sketch, a restaurant serves all its food with lots of spam, and the waitress repeats the word several times in describing how much spam is in the items. When she does this, a group of Vikings (don't ask) in the corner start a song:

"Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, lovely spam! Wonderful spam!"

Until told to shut up.

Thus the meaning of the term at least: something that keeps repeating and repeating to great annoyance. How did the two get connected?

 

[iNow]

Well, that wasn't exactly my question, but it's still really an interesting bit of information. I did not know that. Thanks, Lockheed!

[Reaper]

When one discusses the evolution of internet spam, it is appropriate that we start with it's humble beginnings.

[Phi for All]

I know a guy who did this for a living. The company required their employees to make at least 100 neutral posts in a forum to establish themselves before they attempted to sway the members' opinions about a certain video game or movie or tv show - depending on who the client was, of course.

This goes way beyond persuasion, imo. It's dishonest in the extreme (if you had spent a lot of time in this thread trying to help the OP out and then found out they were paid to deceive you you'd probably be angry).

 

This type of marketing was used in both the alcohol and tobacco industries. Good-looking people would be sent to bars and make a point of talking up their favorite cigarette or drink in order to influence sales.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Over at where I work, they require you to become a member of staff first, just for the false sense of security.