Expected Outcomes:

•   to comprehend the basic concepts of Evolution Theory
•   to appreciate the philosophical and historical context of 'discovering' evolution
•   to understand the mechanisms of how evolution shapes behaviour, and to know examples
•   to get some insight into the current discussion of biological roots of human behaviour: Evolutionary Psychology

Session 1: The Concept of Evolution

• (3080.E1) man's place in nature - what is the fuzz about? a brief history of evolution
• (3080.E2) some basic facts and ideas about evolution

• (3080.E3) evolutionary mechanisms generating behaviour: competition, aggression and altruism
• (3080.E4) biological foundations of social systems: sociobiology, game theory

• (3080.E5) the conceptual framework - human behaviour as product of evolution
• (3080.E6) what drives human evolution? sexual selection in the 21^st century

index of complete lectures and further study material (extended reference lists, links to useful websites) http://www.pc.rhbnc.ac.uk/zanker/teach/PS3080/index.htm
(will be continuously updated)

Key Textbooks:

•   Barrett, Louise, Dunbar, R., Lycett, J. Human Evolutionary Psychology. Basingstoke, New York : Palgrave, 2002
•   Buss, David M.. Evolutionary psychology: the new science of the mind. Boston : Allyn and Bacon , 1999 (155.7 BUS)
•   Gold, S.G. The Structure of Evolutionary Theory. Harvard Univ Press, 2002
•   Mayr, E. What Evolution Is. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2002
•   Stearns, Stephen C., Hoekstra, Rolf F. Evolution: an introduction. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2000. (575 STE)

useful internet websites

some study questions