Module ANTH4088: Cultural Evolution & Evolutionary Psychology

Department: Anthropology

ANTH4088: Cultural Evolution & Evolutionary Psychology

Prerequisites

• ANTH2071 Our Place in Nature 2015/16 ONLY - HUSS 2321 Our Place in Nature OR ANTH 2061 - Evolutionary Anthropology

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• Cannot be taken with ANTH4058 Minds and Monkeys

Aims

• To provide students with a theoretical understanding of cultural evolution as it is studied at a range of scales, from individual social learning to cultural transmission in complex societies among human and non-human animals.
• To introduce students to advanced topics in evolutionary theory as it relates to human behaviour.
• To compare and contrast different evolutionary approaches to understanding human behaviour, including those that focus on human universals and those that focus on variability.
• Special regard is paid to understanding key theoretical concepts and how these may be applied to experimental and observational studies of human behaviour.

Content

• Social learning mechanisms
• ‘Culture’ in non-human animals
• Evolution of social learning & transmission biases
• Niche construction & gene-culture co-evolution
• Ethnographic studies of cultural evolution
• Evolution of cultural diversity
• Cultural evolution in modern society
• Cumulative cultural evolution
• Evolution of religion
• A variety of applied topics in cultural evolution (eg. animal conservation and human health)
• Principles of evolutionary psychology and human behavioural ecology
• Human mating strategies, including mate choice and intra-sexual competition
• Evolution of human cooperation
• Ecological influences on adaptive human behaviour
• Evolutionary perspectives on the human brain and cognitive structure

Learning Outcomes

• Sufficient theoretical training to enable, with the appropriate support and facilities, continuation to PhD level research on cultural evolution or the conducting of applied cultural evolution research in a variety of contexts
• A firm grasp of the theoretical bases of evolutionary approaches to understanding human behaviour.
• An advanced understanding of how theoretical approaches have been applied to human behaviour, including an appreciation of the strengths and limitations of both the theories and the empirical evidence relating to them

• An ability to independently synthesise, critically evaluate and present complex material, including data, evolutionary models and theoretical arguments.
• An ability to think creatively and rigorously about how current theory, evidence and empirical findings could be strengthened
• An ability to understand, critically examine and discuss the relevant literature, including evaluation of the strengths and limitations of theoretical models, quality of data, and the way that evidence is handled

• Communication: Students should be able to write clearly and concisely on cultural evolutionary, evolutionary psychology and cognate topics, and explain why particular issues are important and/or controversial both in writing and verbally.
• Presentation skills based on the preparation and delivery of oral presentations of key points in set topics.
• Essay writing based on independent reading used to address novel issues at an advanced level.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures & Tutorials
• Formative assignments during tutorials (e.g. presentations, discussions, debates)
• Summative essays, choice in consultation with tutors
• Students will be provided with feedback on their formative and summative assignments
• In class assessments and feedback during tutorials
• Seminars will provide students with feedback on their progress and provide the opportunity for individual interaction with tutor.
• Seminars centred on student presentations allow students to interrogate the primary literature and key arguments of important topics.
• Formative assessment is given on essay plans.
• Formative feedback is given for seminar presentations

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

In class assessments and feedback during tutorials on advanced and applied topics in cultural evolution. Written formative feedback is given for seminar presentations on evolutionary psychology. Formative feedback on an abstract / plan of the summative essays.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University