Course Details

The theory of evolution by natural selection is the underlying theme that unites all fields of biology. In this course we will cover the basic principles of evolutionary biology, explore ways in which evolutionary theory can be applied to human biology and behavior, and consider how evolutionary thinking might guide the development of social policy. We will consider questions such as these:

Why are women and men different?
Which is more egalitarian: monogamy or polygamy?
Why do step-parents and step-children often have more conflicted relationships than biological parents and children?
When do people cooperate, when are they selfish, and why?
What can we do to reduce the rate of spousal abuse and homicide?

My goal is to help students learn selection thinking; that is, to help them learn to think like evolutionary biologists. I hope to help students pose questions, formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and critically evaluate the quality of evidence. After taking this course, students will be able to:

Apply evolutionary theory to human interactions, especially those involving social conflict, and make predictions about how the divergent interests of the conflicting parties will affect their behavior.
Interpret and critically evaluate graphs and tables showing data on behavioral patterns in humans and animals.
Design observational studies and experiments to test these predictions.
Provide evolutionary interpretations of various human social institutions, such as laws, wills, and social policies.

Assignments will include a series of concise essays, plus problem sets and tutorials.