The Evolutionary Perspective The evolutionary perspective analyzes behavior in terms of how it increases a species’ chances to survive and reproduce. Comparing behaviors across species can often lead to new insights about the adaptive function of a particular behavior. For example, close bonds with caregivers are essential to the primate infant’s survival—whether that infant is a golden monkey at a wildlife preserve in northern China or a human infant at a family picnic in Norway. As you’ll see in later chapters, the evolutionary perspective has been applied to many different areas of psychology, including human relationships, eating behaviors, and emotional responses (Confer & others, 2010; Scott-Phillips & others, 2011).
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Steve Prezant/Corbis
Steve Prezant/Corbis