Evolution & Human Behavior RSS feed: Current Issue. Evolution and Human Behavior is an interdisciplinary journal, presenting research reports and theory in which evolutionary perspectives are brought to bear on the study of human behavior. It is primarily a scientific journal, but submissions from scholars in the humanities are also encouraged. Papers reporting on theoretical and empirical work on other species will be welcome if their relevance to the human animal is apparent. http://www.ehbonline.org/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Evolution & Human Behavior1090-5138315September 2010 © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000474/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Error management theory is a theory of considerable scope and emerging influence. The theory claims that cognitive biases do not necessarily reflect flaws in evolutionary design, but that they may be best conceived as design features. Unfortunately, existing accounts are vague with respect to the key concept of bias. The result is that it is unclear that the cognitive biases that the theory seeks to defend are not simply a form of behavioral bias, in which case the theory reduces to a version of expected utility theory. We propose some clarifications and refinements of error management theory by emphasizing important distinctions between different forms of behavioral and cognitive bias. We also highlight a key assumption, that the capacity for Bayesian beliefs is subject to constraints. This assumption is necessary for what we see as error management theory's genuinely novel claim: that behavioral tendencies to avoid costly errors can rest on systematic departures from Bayesian beliefs and that the latter can be adaptive insofar as they generate the former.The subtleties of error managementRyan McKay, Charles Efferson10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.04.005Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-07-09Evolution & Human Behavior2010-07-09315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Short Communication309319http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000231/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: When searching for a mate, one must gather information to determine the mate value of potential partners. By focusing on individuals who have been previously chosen by others, one's selection of mates can be influenced by another's successful search—a phenomenon known as mate copying. We show mate copying in humans with a novel methodology that closely mimics behavioral studies with non-human animals. After observing instances of real mating interest in video recordings of speed-dates, both male and female participants show mate copying effects of heightened short-term and long-term relationship interest towards individuals in dates they perceived as successful. Furthermore, the relative attractiveness of observers and observed plays a mediating role in whom an individual will choose to copy.Humans show mate copying after observing real mate choicesSkyler S. Place, Peter M. Todd, Lars Penke, Jens B. Asendorpf10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.02.001Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-04-23Evolution & Human Behavior2010-04-23315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles320325http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000292/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Conformist social learning, the tendency to acquire the most common trait in a group, allows individuals to rapidly acquire established beneficial traits from a multitude of options. However, conformist strategies hinder acquisition of novel advantageous behavior patterns, because such innovations are by definition uncommon. This raises the possibility that proxy cues of the success of novel traits may be utilized to identify and acquire advantageous innovations and disregard failing options. We show that humans use changes in trait frequency over time as such a cue in an economic game. Participants played a three-alternative forced choice game (i.e., a multi-armed bandit), using social information to attempt to locate a high reward that could change location. Participants viewed temporal changes in how many players chose each option in two successive rounds. Participants supplemented conformist strategies with a “copy-increasing-traits” strategy. That is, regardless of the traits absolute population frequencies, participants' choices were guided by changes in trait frequencies. Thus, humans can detect advantageous innovations by monitoring how many individuals adopt these over time, adopting traits increasing in frequency, and abandoning traits decreasing in frequency. Copying rapidly increasing traits allows identification and acquisition of advantageous innovations, and is thus potentially key in facilitating their early diffusion and cultural evolution.Humans copy rapidly increasing choices in a multiarmed bandit problemUlf Toelch, Matthew J. Bruce, Marius T.H. Meeus, Simon M. Reader10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.03.002Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-06-21Evolution & Human Behavior2010-06-21315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles326333http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000267/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Based on evolutionary logic, Henrich and Gil-White [Evolution and Human Behavior, 22(3), 165–196] distinguished between two routes to attaining social status in human societies: dominance, based on intimidation, and prestige, based on the possession of skills or expertise. Independently, emotion researchers Tracy and Robins [Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(3), 506–525] demonstrated two distinct forms of pride: hubristic and authentic. Bridging these two lines of research, this paper examines whether hubristic and authentic pride, respectively, may be part of the affective-motivational suite of psychological adaptations underpinning the status-obtaining strategies of dominance and prestige. Support for this hypothesis emerged from two studies employing self-reports (Study 1), and self-and peer-reports of group members on collegiate athletic teams (Study 2). Results from both studies showed that hubristic pride is associated with dominance, whereas authentic pride is associated with prestige. Moreover, the two facets of pride are part of a larger suite of distinctive psychological traits uniquely associated with dominance or prestige. Specifically, dominance is positively associated with traits such as narcissism, aggression, and disagreeableness, whereas prestige is positively associated with traits such as genuine self-esteem, agreeableness, conscientiousness, achievement, advice-giving, and prosociality. Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for our understanding of the evolutionary origins of pride and social status, and the interrelations among emotion, personality, and status attainment.Pride, personality, and the evolutionary foundations of human social statusJoey T. Cheng, Jessica L. Tracy, Joseph Henrich10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.02.004Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-05-10Evolution & Human Behavior2010-05-10315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles334347http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000425/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Studies of physical attractiveness have long emphasized the constituent features that make faces and bodies attractive, such as symmetry, skin texture, and waist-to-hip ratio. Few studies, however, have examined the reproductively relevant cues conveyed by faces and bodies as whole units. Based on the premise that fertility cues are more readily assessed from a woman's body than her face, the present study tested the hypothesis that men evaluating a potential short-term mate would give higher priority to information gleaned from her body, relative to her face, than men evaluating a potential long-term mate. Male and female participants (N=375) were instructed to consider dating an opposite sex individual, whose face was occluded by a “face box” and whose body was occluded by a “body box,” as a short-term or long-term mate. With the instruction that only one box could be removed to make their decision about their willingness to engage in the designated relationship with the occluded individual, significantly more men assigned to the short-term, compared to the long-term, mating condition removed the body box. Women's face versus body information choice, in contrast, was unaffected by the temporal dimension of the mating condition. These results suggest that men, but not women, have a condition-dependent adaptive proclivity to prioritize facial cues in long-term mating contexts, but shift their priorities toward bodily cues in short-term mating contexts.More than just a pretty face: men's priority shifts toward bodily attractiveness in short-term versus long-term mating contextsJaime C. Confer, Carin Perilloux, David M. Buss10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.04.002Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-06-23Evolution & Human Behavior2010-06-23315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles348353http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000462/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Humans are the only primates that make music. But the evolutionary origins and functions of music are unclear. Given that in traditional cultures music making and dancing are often integral parts of important group ceremonies such as initiation rites, weddings or preparations for battle, one hypothesis is that music evolved into a tool that fosters social bonding and group cohesion, ultimately increasing prosocial in-group behavior and cooperation. Here we provide support for this hypothesis by showing that joint music making among 4-year-old children increases subsequent spontaneous cooperative and helpful behavior, relative to a carefully matched control condition with the same level of social and linguistic interaction but no music. Among other functional mechanisms, we propose that music making, including joint singing and dancing, encourages the participants to keep a constant audiovisual representation of the collective intention and shared goal of vocalizing and moving together in time — thereby effectively satisfying the intrinsic human desire to share emotions, experiences and activities with others.Joint music making promotes prosocial behavior in 4-year-old childrenSebastian Kirschner, Michael Tomasello10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.04.004Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-07-09Evolution & Human Behavior2010-07-09315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles354364http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000516/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Restrictive eating attitudes and behaviors have been hypothesized to be related to processes of intrasexual competition. According to this perspective, within-sex competition for status serves the adaptive purpose of attracting mates. As such, status competition salience may lead to concerns of mating desirability. For heterosexual women and gay men, such concerns revolve around appearing youthful and, thus, thinner. Following this logic, we examined how exposure to high-status and competitive (but not thin or highly attractive) same-sex individuals would influence body image and eating attitudes in heterosexual and in gay/lesbian individuals. Results indicated that for heterosexuals, intrasexual competition cues led to greater body image dissatisfaction and more restrictive eating attitudes for women, but not for men. In contrast, for homosexual individuals, intrasexual competition cues led to worse body image and eating attitudes for gay men, but not for lesbian women. These findings support the idea that the ultimate explanation for eating disorders is related to intrasexual competition.Intrasexual competition and eating restriction in heterosexual and homosexual individualsNorman P. Li, April R. Smith, Vladas Griskevicius, Margaret J. Cason, Angela Bryan10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.05.004Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-07-23Evolution & Human Behavior2010-07-23315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles365372http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS1090513810000413/abstract?rss=yesAbstract: Androphilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult males, whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult females. The kin selection hypothesis for male androphilia suggests that androphilic males have been selected to act as “helpers-in-the-nest,” caring for nieces and nephews and, by extension, increasing their indirect fitness. Previous research has demonstrated that Samoan male androphiles (known locally as fa'afafine) exhibit significantly higher altruistic tendencies toward nieces and nephews compared to Samoan women and gynephilic men. Elevated avuncular tendencies must translate into real-world avuncular behavior if they are to have any impact on the fitness of nieces and nephews and the uncles themselves. The present study examined whether Samoan fa'afafine exhibit higher altruistic behavior toward nieces and nephews compared to women and gynephilic men. We used money given to, and received from, oldest and youngest siblings' sons and daughters as a behavioral assay of kin altruism. Compared to women and gynephilic men, fa'afafine gave significantly more money to their youngest siblings' daughters. No group differences were observed for money received from nieces and/or nephews. There were no correlations between number of children parented and monetary exchanges with the niece and nephew categories examined, suggesting that childlessness cannot account for why fa'afafine give more money to their youngest siblings' daughters. These findings are consistent with the kin selection hypothesis for male androphilia.Monetary exchanges with nieces and nephews: a comparison of Samoan men, women, and fa'afafinePaul L. Vasey, Doug P. VanderLaan10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.04.001Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-06-23Evolution & Human Behavior2010-06-23315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Original Articles373380http://www.ehbonline.org/article/PIIS109051381000005X/abstract?rss=yesHrdy's book begins with a beguiling example; imagine what a typical plane trip is like, then imagine what the trip would be like if we were any other species of ape (i.e., loud, violent and foul). This, she claims, is what really separates us from our closest living relatives; not that we can build the plane, but that we can behave ourselves on it. The ability (not just social but hypersocial) to read minds, empathize and tolerate is our distinguishing feature, and Hrdy's thesis is that it has its origins in the cooperative breeding habits of our ancestors. It is through cooperative breeding that we have diverged from the chimps (or the animals who became chimps) and emerged as emotionally modern humans, albeit long before we were modern in any other sense.Broader and brighter empathic spotlights—a review of “Mothers and others: the evolutionary origins of mutual understanding”Andrew P. Clark10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.01.001Evolution & Human Behavior 31, 5 (2010)2010-04-05Evolution & Human Behavior2010-04-05315S1090-5138(10)X0005-8Book Review381382