Evolutionary Psychology

This approach is the integration of comparative psychology and evolutionary psychology. Evolutionary psychology is a fairly recent branch of psychology, It tries to determine which current traits in humans evolved and how those adaptations occurred. The focus is on presumably evolved traits which are common to all cultures. Evolutionary psych wonders why most people don’t like spiders or snakes, why people of all cultures are repulsed by spoiled milk, and what factors go into mate choice.

Comparative Psychology

Comparative psychology uses animal studies and cross-species comparisons. It uses animal behavior as a model for human behavior. Aristotle provides an early example of this approach. He studied chicken embryos and observed that their hearts developed first. From this, he concluded that the heart was the center of the soul, thinking and emotion. This was in keeping with the ancient view that blood and life were synonymous.

Comparative-Evolutionary Psychology

This area of psychology looks at the origins of mind and human cognition. It often includes the evolution of communication, skills and social intelligence.

The study of primates and other species is a key characteristic of this field.