By now, it’s become increasingly recognized among perceptive researchers and psychologists that evolutionary science, grounded in Darwin‘s immense idea of evolution via natural selection, is an invaluable tool for understanding the mind, acting as a powerful flashlight that’s capable of illuminating why we think, feel, and behave the way we do. What’s not as widely recognized though, is that the insights that arise from such a Darwinian inspection aren’t just of theoretical importance, but that they are also of great practical value, in that they may be turned into a strategy for living. One might go as to say that it’s impossible to understand what makes for a mentally healthy, vibrant human if one doesn’t bring evolutionary insights into the equation. Just last week, I read a new book entitled Positive Evolutionary Psychology: Darwin’s Guide to Living a Richer Life that adds weight to this argument…
Applied evolutionary psychology: The practical applications of Darwinian mental insights
The book is written by Professor Glenn Geher, whose blog Darwin’s Subterranean World I recommended in an article here on the site a while back. Together with his co-author Nicole Wedberg, Geher takes the reader along on a psychological journey guided by no other than Charles Darwin himself. I really enjoyed the ride, which is intended to be uplifting, raising one’s awareness of the bright aspects of the human psyche and the practical applications of evolutionary psychology, and therefore decided to showcase the book here on the site, so that more people potentially get to experience psychology in the Darwinian manner Geher and Wedberg present it.
At no point during the Geher-led ride did I get nauseous and sick to my stomach as a result of being presented something that didn’t sit right with me and my scientific predispositions, which is rare, as I’m a very picky reader. I prefer to read stuff that has a compelling evolutionary/scientific rationale behind it. As I see it, Positive Evolutionary Psychology fits this criterion. Unlike many other books in the same genre, it has ‘a rød tråd’ to it, which is the Norwegian equivalent of ‘a common thread’.
Geher and Wedberg’s investigations are informed and guided by the evolutionary mismatch concept, which centers on the foundational biological certitude that organisms are adapted to certain environmental circumstances as a result of evolutionary selection and that any deviation in this respect may produce adverse outcomes. It’s difficult to state in words just how powerful of a navigational instrument this concept really is.
With respects to Positive Evolutionary Psychology, it produces a sense of order and ünity, in that everything connects with everything else, bound together by a shared Darwinian premise. Perhaps the only part of the book that doesn’t completely tie in with the rest is the foreword, which I have to admit I wasn’t completely taken or convinced by and think falls short of meeting the standard set by Geher and Wedberg, in large part because it appears more chaotic, seemingly not having the same theoretical integrity as the actual book. But that’s really not that relevant, as the foreword was written by another author.
In the book, Geher and Wedberg explore and interpret several aspects of the human condition from an evolutionary point of view, something that not only illuminates the Darwinian realities of life but also engenders a whole bunch of suggestions for how to get more enjoyment and satisfaction out of life. In that respect, it differs from the many books on evolutionary psychology that only seek to provide an evolutionary account for human behavior, as opposed to offering practical advice. Among the things Geher and Wedberg get into are the importance of community, the dark side of modern technology, and the evolutionary basis of resilience.
Early on in the book, they make it clear that their intent is to marry the fields of evolutionary psychology and positive psychology, thereby producing a ‘coalition’ they call positive evolutionary psychology. Whether this union was ‘meant to be’ or if it was forced is up for debate (Personally I think of the whole Darwinian/evolutionary medicine and psychology enterprise as having both a theoretical and practical side to it. I don’t add a prefix when talking about the practicalities of evolution-informed medicine or psychology); however, it’s easy to recognize the authors’ rationale for bringing the two disciplines to the altar. Evolutionary psychology has historically been mostly concerned with theoretical explanations of human behavior, as opposed to what the evolutionary approach can teach us about living a fulfilling life. Furthermore, psychology, including evolutionary psychology, has largely been focused on problems and unpleasantness, as opposed to the bright sides of life; hence, it makes sense to try to bring in more positivity.
Given that pretty much everything in the book has to do with Darwinism and evolutionary mismatch, it goes without saying that I was already familiar with a lot of the things the authors talk about. That said, even I found something new and interesting to sink my teeth into, including the part about religion, which I found particularly refreshing. The book, which is a fairly light read, largely devoid of technical/scientific lingo, is by no means a complete guide to living a good life (nor is it intended to be); however, when combined with evolutionary living principles of other kinds, it may get one well on the way towards achieving that outcome.
A selection of statements in the book that stood out to me
As I was reading the book, I took note of certain statements that really resonated with me and/or I feel are particularly important. So as to bring attention to these segments and give you a sneak peek as to what the book is about, I thought I’d post them here…
On the remarkable power and scope of evolutionary psychology…
Evolutionary psychology, informed fully by Darwin’s great insights into the nature of life, has proven to be a powerful approach to understanding the full suite of human behaviors.
On the evolutionary mismatch crisis we’re currently experiencing…
Humans in modern environments are, essentially, like monkeys in cages at the zoo. As you will see in a broad array of examples in this book, our modern environments are mismatched from the conditions that our bodies and minds were shaped to experience in many ways.
On the importance of evolutionary insights to psychology…
If you want to understand what factors lead to happiness, then you have to understand what kinds of outcomes under ancestral conditions led to feelings of positive affect – outcomes such as positive relationship outcomes, success in obtaining resources, success in the lives of kin (such as the birth of a niece or a nephew), and so forth. Further, if you want to understand factors that lead to problems in the modern day, you can easily look to instances of mismatch between modern conditions and ancestral conditions.
On why the belief that evolution is all about greed and selfishness misses the mark…
To some extent, selfish genes in humans have created altruistic apes who focus largely on what they can do to help others and build strong and positive communities.
On paying attention to Darwinian health messages…
If you want to live a healthy life, you ignore ideas inspired by Darwin to your own peril.
On how evolutionary science has changed the medical game…
In fact, the advent of evolutionary medicine has been a total game-changer when it comes to understanding best practices in the health professions. The basic principle of evolutionary medicine is pretty straightforward. The idea is that best practices in health care should always include some understanding of the evolutionary biology that underlies the particular issue at hand.
On how wealth is best measured in a Darwinian sense…
From a Darwinian perspective, wealth is not based on money – rather, wealth is based on the connections that you have and the mark that you leave on the world.
On why religion has evolved…
Religion likely evolved to keep behaviors within a community in check to cultivate behavioral patterns in which people would work toward the common good.
Primary takeaway
It may be said that nothing in psychology makes sense except in the light of evolution. The newly published book Positive Evolutionary Psychology: Darwin’s Guide to Living a Richer Life embodies this message and not only seeks to understand why we do what we do, but also how we can change what we do and how we think in such a manner that we get more fulfillment out of life. It’s a great (albeit fairly expensive) treatise, which coupled with other aspects of Darwinian health and medicine, enables you to create a robust evolution-based framework for living.
P.S. For a full overview of what the book is about, see this page.
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