Précis of Darwin, sex and status: Biological approaches to mind and culture

Darwin, Sex and Status argues that a human sociobiology that mistakes evolutionary theory for theories of psychology and culture is wrong, as are psychologies that could never have evolved or social sciences that posit impossible psychologies. Status develops theories of human self-awareness, cognit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Behavioral and brain sciences 1991-06, Vol.14 (2), p.295-301
Main Author: Barkow, Jerome H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
attention
Charles Darwin
Cognition
Cultural Change
Culture
Evolution
Evolutionary Theories
genes
goals
human nature
maladaptation
plans
self-awareness
Sex
Sexual selection
sexuality
Social Development
Sociobiology
status
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Summary:Darwin, Sex and Status argues that a human sociobiology that mistakes evolutionary theory for theories of psychology and culture is wrong, as are psychologies that could never have evolved or social sciences that posit impossible psychologies. Status develops theories of human self-awareness, cognition, and cultural capacity that are compatible with evolutionary theory. Recurring themes include: the importance of sexual selection in human evolution; our species' preoccupation with self-esteem and relative standing; the individual as an active strategist, regularly revising culturally provided information; and awareness as an impressionmanagement device. Culture is a somewhat structured information pool that itself evolves, often in ways that reduce the genetic fitness of its participants.
ISSN:0140-525X
1469-1825
DOI:10.1017/S0140525X00066711