Evolution, Culture, and the Human Mind

By: Mark Schaller (Editor), Ara Norenzayan (Editor), Steven J. Heine (Editor), Toshio Yamagishi (Editor), Tatsuya Kameda (Editor)

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Hardcover | 2 September 2009 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
300 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.75

Hardcover

RRP $305.00

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An enormous amount of scientific research compels two fundamental conclusions about the human mind: The mind is the product of evolution; and the mind is shaped by culture. These two perspectives on the human mind are not incompatible, but, until recently, their compatibility has resisted rigorous scholarly inquiry. Evolutionary psychology documents many ways in which genetic adaptations govern the operations of the human mind. But evolutionary inquiries only occasionally grapple seriously with questions about human culture and cross-cultural differences. By contrast, cultural psychology documents many ways in which thought and behavior are shaped by different cultural experiences. But cultural inquires rarely consider evolutionary processes. Even after decades of intensive research, these two perspectives on human psychology have remained largely divorced from each other. But that is now changing - and that is what this book is about.

Evolution, Culture, and the Human Mind is the first scholarly book to integrate evolutionary and cultural perspectives on human psychology. The contributors include world-renowned evolutionary, cultural, social, and cognitive psychologists. These chapters reveal many novel insights linking human evolution to both human cognition and human culture â" including the evolutionary origins of cross-cultural differences. The result is a stimulating introduction to an emerging integrative perspective on human nature.

Industry Reviews

"This volume provides an interesting and insightful examination of the evolution of consciousness, cognition, decision-making, actions, and cultural norms in terms of collective consequences and genetic mechanisms... Overall, this volume provides a rich and stimulating foray into the nexus of evolution and culture... I applaud these authors on their step into risky territory which I expect will foster further conversation and theoretical integration and understanding." - Randal G. Tonks, University of Victoria, in Canadian Psychology

"As this book documents, the persistent nature vs. nurture question is founded on a myth. Evolved adaptations provide the foundation for culture, and culture affects the expression of adaptations in modern behavior. This volume, whose contributors are at the forefront of a new wave in science, is filled with gems. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the human animal." - Martie G. Haselton, Ph.D., UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution, and Culture, USA

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