Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c4f8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T03:00:38.669Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A deeper integration of Selfish Goal Theory and modern evolutionary psychology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2014

Daniel Conroy-Beam
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, Austin, TX 78712. dconroybeam@utexas.edudbuss@austin.utexas.edu
David M. Buss
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, Austin, TX 78712. dconroybeam@utexas.edudbuss@austin.utexas.edu

Abstract

Conceptually integrating Selfish Goal Theory with modern evolutionary psychology amplifies theoretical power. Inconsistency, a key principle of Selfish Goal Theory, illustrates this insight. Conflicting goals of seeking sexual variety and successful mate retention furnish one example. Siblings have evolved goals to cooperate and compete, a second example. Integrating Selfish Goal Theory with evolutionary theory can explain much inconsistent goal-directed behavior.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Buss, D. M. (1995) Evolutionary psychology: A new paradigm for psychological science. Psychological Inquiry 6(1):130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buss, D. M. (2012) Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind, 4th ed. Allyn & Bacon.Google Scholar
Buss, D. M., Larsen, R. J., Westen, D. & Semmelroth, J. (1992) Sex differences in jealousy: Evolution, physiology, and psychology. Psychological Science 3(4):251–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daly, M., Wilson, M. I. & Weghorst, S. J. (1982) Male sexual jealousy. Ethology & Sociobiology 3:1127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamilton, W. D. (1964) The genetical evolution of social behaviour. I & II. Journal of Theoretical Biology 7(1):152.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kurzban, R. (2012) Why everyone (else) is a hypocrite: Evolution and the modular mind. Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kurzban, R., Dukes, A. & Weeden, J. (2010) Sex, drugs and moral goals: Reproductive strategies and views about recreational drugs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 277(1699):3501–508.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schmitt, D. P., Alcalay, L., Allik, J., Ault, L., Austers, I., Bennett, K. L., Bianchi, G., Boholst, F., Borg Cunen, M. A., Braeckman, J., Brainerd, E. G. Jr., Caral, L. G. A., Caron, G., Casullo, M. M., Cunningham, M., Daibo, I., De Backer, C., De Souza, E., Diaz-Loving, R., Diniz, G., Durkin, K., Echegaray, M., Eremsoy, E., Euler, H. A., Falzon, R., Fisher, M. L., Foley, D., Fry, D. P., Fry, S., Ghayur, M. A., Golden, D. L., Grammer, K., Grimaldi, L., Halberstadt, J., Herrera, D., Hertel, J., Hoffmann, H., Hooper, D., Hradilekova, Z., Hudek-Kene-evi, J., Jaafar, J., Jankauskaite, M., Kabangu-Stahel, H., Kardum, I., Khoury, B., Kwon, H., Laidra, K., Laireiter, A.-R., Lakerveld, D., Lampert, A., Lauri, M., Lavalleé, M., Lee, S.-J., Chung Leung, L., Locke, K. D., Locke, V., Luksik, I., Magaisa, I., Marcinkeviciene, D., Mata, A., Mata, R., McCarthy, B., Mills, M. E., Moreira, J., Moreira, S., Moya, M., Munyae, M., Noller, P., Opre, A., Panayiotou, A., Petrovic, N., Poels, K., Popper, M., Poulimenou, M., P'yatokha, V., Raymond, M., Reips, U.-D., Reneau, S. E., Rivera-Aragon, S., Rowatt, W. C., Ruch, W., Rus, V. S., Safir, M. P., Salas, S., Sambataro, F., Sandnabba, K. N., Schulmeyer, M. K., Schütz, A., Scrimali, T., Shackelford, T. K., Shaver, P. R., Sichona, F., Simonetti, F., Sineshaw, T., Speelman, T., Spyrou, S., Sümer, H. C., Sümer, N., Supekova, M., Szlendak, T., Taylor, R., Timmermans, B., Tooke, W., Tsaousis, I., Tungaraza, F. S. K., Vandermassen, G., Vanhoomissen, T., Van Overwalle, F., Vanwesenbeeck, I., Vasey, P. L., Verissimo, J., Voracek, M., Wan, W. W. N., Wang, T.-W., Weiss, P., Wijaya, A., Woertman, L., Youn, G. & Zupanèiè, A. (2003) Universal sex differences in the desire for sexual variety: Tests from 52 nations, 6 continents, and 13 islands. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 85:85104.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Symons, D. (1979) The evolution of human sexuality. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Symons, D. (1992) On the use and misuse of Darwinism in the study of human behavior. In: The adapted mind: Evolutionary psychology and the generation of culture, ed. Barkow, J. H., Cosmides, L. & Tooby, J., pp. 137–59. Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tooby, J. & Cosmides, L. (1992) The psychological foundations of culture. In: The adapted mind: Evolutionary psychology and the generation of culture, ed. Barkow, J. H., Cosmides, L. & Tooby, J., pp. 19136. Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar