Evolutionary Anthropology

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

Lectures and practical classes.

Critical readings of selected papers.

Discussion of group projects from a selected set provided by the lecturer. Programming and followup of the development of the group works, with presentation of a final report and an oral presentation.

Students are introduced to the use of inferential statistics in order to test scientific hypotheses. Use of bibliographical online databases.

Learning Outcomes

It is intended that students acquire knowledge on the evolutionary study of human behavior. The study considers several schools of thought, approaches and research strategies from each school. It goes from a more phenomenological description of the logic of social behavior to the working of human mind, in an evolutionary perspective. Students are expected to acquire a broad perspective of the evolutionary approach to human behavior, as well as to acquire the skills to be capable of performing studies in this area of research.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.Evolutionary approach to human behaviour.
2.Basic aspects of the evolutionary theory. Natural selection and evolution. Genetics and development.
3.Problematics of human nature. How to do research on humans. Human sociobiology, human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, memetics, genes-culture co-evolutionary models.
4.Adaptive decisions on sexual behavior. Reproductive strategies of both sexes.
5.Cooperation. The evolution of cooperation.
6.The evolution of language. Neurobiology and ontogeny of language.
Evolution and human culture. Biological models of cultural evolution. Culture as an adaptation.

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulo Jorge Gama Mota

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 10.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 30.0%
Exam: 60.0%

Bibliography

 Barret, L., Dunbar, R. & Lycett, J., 2002. Human Evolutionary Psychology. Palgrave, Hampshire & New York. Cartwright, J. 2008. Evolution and Human Behaviour. 2^nd Ed.. Macmillan Press, Londres. Dunbar, RIM. 2006. A História do Homem: Uma nova história da evolução da humanidade. Quetzal Editores, Lisboa