Study of traits shaped by natural selection
No formal distinction from evolutionary biology
Example psychological traits/behaviors: jealousy, homicide, male promiscuity
What was its evolutionary function of jealousy? (studied by Bus)
Mate-guarding behavior. If you spend lots of resources/time on offspring, you want to make sure they’re yours.
Observed in primates standing in front of their mates and chasing off all other suitors
How to validate this hypothesis?
There are two claims to be tested empircally :
The existance of jealous mental states caused people to leave more offspring
Those offspring inherited the tendency to have jealous mental states