Life through the lens of evolutionary psychology with Professor Glenn Geher

*The information in this podcast is intended for Healthcare Practitioners.

In this episode, Nathan speaks with Glenn Geher, Professor of Psychology and Founding Director of Evolutionary Studies at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Professor Geher has been the recipient of the New Paltz Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, along with Chancellor’s Awards for both Teaching and Research Excellence from the State University of New York. He has penned several books including Evolutionary Psychology 101 and more recently, Positive Evolutionary Psychology, and contributes a regular blog to Psychology Today, called Darwin’s Subterranean World.

This episode serves as a brilliant introduction to evolutionary psychology, as Professor Geher explains how an evolutionary perspective can shed light on modern-day issues, such as mental health conditions. He describes the significance of living in an environment we, as humans, were not evolved to exist in – coined an evolutionary mismatch. This fascinating discussion provides insight on how the principles of evolutionary psychology helps us understand human behaviour and the human experience.

Highlights

• An evolutionary perspective on mood disorders (7:00)
• Our minds are not evolved for large scale politics (19:00)
• Criticisms of evolutionary psychology (24:00)
• Neuroticism may have served a purpose (32:00)
• Ultimate versus proximate causation (45:00)
• Positive evolutionary psychology (60:00)

Useful Links

Link to Geher’s book, Positive Evolutionary Psychology:
https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Evolutionary-Psychology-Darwins-Living/dp/0190647124/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=geher&link_code=qs&qid=1555656027&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-17

Link to Geher’s book, Evolutionary Psychology 101:
https://www.amazon.com/Evolutionary-Psychology-101-Psych/dp/0826107184/ref=pd_sim_sccl_1/132-8454497-6012610?pd_rd_w=p7iHG&pf_rd_p=dee70060-7c6d-4721-a321-50a27281cd22&pf_rd_r=B2WDFD1SXKKMYWVK592J&pd_rd_r=2c4bfc33-40d6-4562-8d61-b836e4bd41f1&pd_rd_wg=CcGlb&pd_rd_i=0826107184&psc=1

Glenn Geher’s blog, Darwin’s Subterranean World: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/darwins-subterranean-world

David Sloan Wilson’s book, Evolution for Everyone: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/191808/evolution-for-everyone-by-david-sloan-wilson/#:~:text=By%20turns%20thoughtful%2C%20provocative%2C%20and,us%20to%20improve%20that%20world