Evolution (OCR A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes
5.3.4 Evolution
Evolution: Charles Darwin
Evolution: The way different organisms develop over time
Evolution is a biological approach.
"survival of the fittest" Survival of the individual who has adapted to their surroundings most effectively. e.g. giraffes and long necks.
Natural selection: Adaptive traits that aid survival being reproduced.
Sexual selection: Traits that aid reproductive success being reproduced.
Positive evaluation:
P: Uses scientific methods, particularly experiments.
E: These are objective and take place in highly controlled environments.
E: Therefore, making the findings replicable and reliable.
P: Evolution can be applied to explain a range of behaviours
E: e.g. can explain sex differences in attraction and aggression
P: lots of research support - twin, adoption
Negative evaluation:
P: Sees human behaviour as only caused by internal, genetic causes.
E: As we have no control over our genetics it suggests we have no free will over our own behaviour
E: The biological approach can be seen as deterministic.
P: Can be seen as too simplistic
E: as it tries to explain complex behaviours in simple terms, ignoring things like emotions
E: Therefore, the biological approach is reductionist.
P: Does not explain cultural differences
P: Difficult to research
E: Difficult to isolate biological and environmental influences