当代心理学发展的一种新取向——进化心理学

A New Approach to the Development of Contemporary Western Psychology: Evolutionary Psychology

进化心理学是近年在西方心理学中出现的一种薪的研究取向 ,目前仍没有一个明确的概念和系统的理论。其基本主张是 :过去是理解心理机制的关键 ;功能分析是理解心理机制的主要途径 ;心理机制是在解决问题的过程中演化形成的 ;模块性是心理机制整体组织的特性 ;人的行为是心理机制和环境互动作用的结果。进化心理学的发展既有意义同时也存在局限。其意义是 :其发展与当代科学发展趋势相一致 ;它的研究促进了对人性和心理的进一步思考。局限是 :具有遗传决定论的倾向 ;方法论存在一定的缺陷 。

Evolutionary psychology is a new research approach which emerged from Western psychology in recent years. It hasn't a clear concept and systematic theory at present. Its basic principle is that the past is the key tounderstanding the present; functional analysis is the path to understanding the mental mechanisms; the mental mechanisms evolves in the course of solving problems; modularity is the character of mental mechanisms; human behavior is the outcome of the interaction between mental mechanisms and environment. The development of evolutionary psychology has some significance and limitations as well. Its significance is that its development consists with the development of the contemporary science; its research stimulates the thinking about the human mind and human nature. Its limitation is that it has the tendency of hereditary determationism; its methodology has some defects such as the neglect of the significance of culture for evolution.