Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary Psychology refers to the distant biological heritage that still affects us cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally. It is more a term, rather than a distinct discipline within Psychology. Evolutionary Psychology may be used to explain such phenomena as the flight-or-flight response, as a popular example; a biological function inherited from our ancestors who sought to either fight with, or flee from, a saber-toothed tiger. As a Psychology, it is limited in scope since human thought, feelings and behaviors have likely become more complex over the eons. Yet, it is often considered to be an important aspect of understanding such questions as the nature of altruism, human aggression, gender roles and sexuality.