evolutionary psychology

American  

noun

1. the branch of psychology that studies the mental adaptations of humans to a changing environment, especially differences in behavior, cognition, and brain structure.

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Etymology

Origin of evolutionary psychology

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Since the dawn of his career, Eastwick has had more than one bone to pick with evolutionary psychology.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

He has tended to accept the premises of evolutionary psychology in ways that religious people typically do not.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

University of South Africa psychologist Dr. Monika dos Santos turns to evolutionary psychology for an explanation on humanity’s difficulty grasping the magnitude of the problem.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2024

Bridget Waller, professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Portsmouth, says reading expressions becomes especially challenging when we are on a group video chat, as we miss out on "gaze cues".

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2020

The Hutterites, obviously, didn’t get this idea from contemporary evolutionary psychology.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell