Whereas it is well accepted in biology that human bodies are products of natural selection, it is still controversial in the mainstream social sciences to link human behaviours to evolution. This course takes an evolutionary approach to explore the ultimate question of why, but not just how, human beings behave in the ways in which they do. Broadly covered by evolutionary cognitive, social, and developmental psychology, the topics include how the human mind works and why it works in these ways, how and why human beings negotiate social contracts with conspecies, and how and why related individuals love and hate in resolving family conflict of interest. In addition to the coverage of evolutionary psychological concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings, this course also introduces natural selection, sexual selection, kin selection, reciprocal altruism, life history, and other theoretical foundations of evolution and their applications to the study of human behaviours.

CILO-1: Conceptualize and internalize major theories and principles of evolution, such as natural selection, sexual selection, kin selection, and parental investment. CILO-2: Analyse, evaluate, and critically examine key theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence comprising the knowledge domain of evolutionary psychology. CILO-3: Differentiate between various evolutionary mechanisms and their influences on human behaviour, and apply this knowledge to explain behavioural patterns in different socio-cultural contexts.