evolutionary psychology

noun

1. the branch of psychology that studies the mental adaptations of humans to a changing environment, especially differences in behavior, cognition, and brain structure.

Word History and Origins

Origin of evolutionary psychology¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

According to a 2015 study published in “Evolutionary Psychology,” which replicated a 2006 study, men seem to want women who will laugh at their jokes and women want men who will make them laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

According to a 2015 study published in “Evolutionary Psychology,” which replicated a 2006 study, men seem to want women who will laugh at their jokes and women want men who will make them laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

In a 2015 Current Biology paper entitled “The What as well as the Why of Animal Fun,”Richard Byrne, a professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of St. Andrews, wrote that in the past, “suggesting that animals might enjoy themselves was seen as anathema to science.”

From Scientific American

On one side we find the embarrassing fantasies of evolutionary psychology, like the notion that women apply lipstick to simulate sexual arousal; on the other we have the popular insistence that beauty rituals are performed purely for personal satisfaction and empowerment.

From New York Times

Another is megapundit Robert Wright, an old friend, with whom I’ve often argued about evolutionary psychology and Buddhism.

From Scientific American