Is evolutionary psychology just a bunch of "just so" stories? (with Geoffrey Miller)
Sep 13, 2023
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Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist and author renowned for his work on mate choice and signaling theory, dives into the intriguing world of human behavior. He tackles the skepticism surrounding evolutionary psychology and its implications on dating and aggression. The conversation explores insights drawn from primate behavior and cultural variations, particularly concerning taboos like incest. Miller also discusses the role of AI and the importance of aligning it with human values, highlighting the complex relationship between evolution, culture, and modern technology.
Evolutionary psychology combines insights from various sciences to understand human behavior.
Critics often misunderstand evolutionary psychology, assuming it supports harmful behaviors.
Studying non-human primates and diverse cultures helps understand universal patterns and cultural variations in human behavior.
Deep dives
The Importance of Evolutionary Psychology in Understanding Human Behavior
Evolutionary psychology is a valuable discipline that seeks to understand human nature by studying the challenges our ancestors faced in prehistory. It combines insights from various sciences like primate studies, anthropology, and behavior genetics to unravel the origins and functions of human motivations, emotions, beliefs, and desires. While some critics argue that evolutionary psychology provides overly simplistic explanations for complex behaviors, it is a legitimate and rigorous science that undergoes empirical testing and revision. For example, studies on ovulatory cycle effects and ethical non-monogamy have led to revisions of previous hypotheses. Overall, evolutionary psychology offers valuable insights into understanding human behavior and motivations.
The Role of Politics and Perception in Pushbacks against Evolutionary Psychology
One significant challenge faced by evolutionary psychology is the pushback it often receives due to political and moral concerns. People wrongly assume that evolutionary psychologists are conservative and that the field supports genetic determinism. This misconception leads to fears that evolutionary explanations may justify harmful behaviors. However, evolutionary psychologists emphasize that just because something evolved, it does not make it morally acceptable. They argue against the naturalistic fallacy and highlight the importance of understanding the complex interactions between evolutionary adaptations and cultural influences. It is crucial to separate the scientific study of human behavior from political implications and acknowledge the nuance and diversity within the field.
The Use of Evidence from Primates and Cultural Variations in Evolutionary Psychology
Evolutionary psychology utilizes evidence from non-human primates and cross-cultural studies to gain insights into human behavior. By studying our close relatives and diverse societies, researchers can identify universal patterns as well as cultural variations. For example, through studying chimpanzees and bonobos, researchers can understand trade-offs, mating dynamics, and other key elements shaped by evolution. Additionally, analyzing cultural variations helps identify factors influencing behavior, such as social norms, religion, and political values. However, researchers must be cautious not to impose Western norms or values when analyzing diverse cultures. Integrating multiple lines of evidence allows for a more comprehensive understanding of human behavior, taking into account both evolutionary and sociocultural influences.
Pornography: The Distinction Between Incest and Step Sibling Porn
The podcast episode explores the distinction between incest and step sibling porn. It is noted that step sibling porn is more prevalent and often framed as sexually appealing due to the taboo nature of the relationship. It is suggested that step sibling porn may tap into an evolutionary impulse to avoid sexual attraction to genetically related individuals while still capitalizing on the taboo aspect. The episode raises questions about the psychological motivations behind the consumption of step sibling porn and whether it is primarily driven by personal experiences or latent attraction to close genetic relatives.
Understanding Emotions from an Evolutionary Perspective
The podcast delves into the nature of emotions from an evolutionary psychology standpoint. It is argued that emotions serve as adaptive responses to specific situations and goals, such as avoiding disease or defending oneself from threats. While some researchers propose a cultural component to emotions, the analysis of emotions through an evolutionary lens has made significant progress in understanding their functions, origins, and impacts on decision-making and memory. The discussion particularly highlights the role of emotions like disgust, which can serve to avoid pathogens or inhibit the spread of negative behaviors. Overall, analyzing emotions in terms of their functions contributes to a deeper understanding of human nature and its crucial aspects.
Why do even people who accept evolutionary explanations for most biological phenomena often push back against evolutionary explanations for human psychology? To what extent should humans adjust their behavior in light of evopsych findings? How do evopsych researchers avoid formulating "just so" stories to explain specific behaviors? What can we infer about human behavior from the behaviors of chimps, bonobos, gorillas, or orangutans? What is the evopsych view of incest (which most people seem to find disgusting but which is also one of the most popular porn categories)? Are emotions primarily shaped by evolution or by culture? How can evopsych findings be applied to everyday things like dating? A safely-aligned AI system should presumably support the majority of human values; so how should AI alignment researchers think about religious values, which are generally held by the majority of humans but which differ radically in their specifics from group to group? What are some other rarely-considered AI alignment blind spots?
Geoffrey Miller is an evolutionary psychologist best known for his books The Mating Mind (2001), Mating Intelligence (2008), Spent (2009), and Mate (2015). He also has over 110 academic publications addressing sexual selection, mate choice, signaling theory, fitness indicators, consumer behavior, marketing, intelligence, creativity, language, art, music, humor, emotions, personality, psychopathology, and behavior genetics. He holds a B.A. in biology and psychology from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Stanford University, and he is a tenured associate professor at University of New Mexico. Follow him on Twitter at @primalpoly, or find out more about him on his website, primalpoly.com.
