The evolutionary perspective on psychology is often criticized for focusing on problematic outcomes.

In fact, many anti-social behaviors, such as aggression in mate competition, have evolutionary roots.

Humans also have a prosocial side—and the evolutionary framework explains this side of us powerfully.

When people think of evolutionary psychology, they often think about such findings as:

The fact that a high proportion of homicides result from male reactions to sexual infidelity (Daly & Wilson, 1988).

The fact that people evolved to be fiercely tribal, showing strong biases to benefit members of their own group at a cost to others (Billig & Tajfel, 1973).

Humans nearly stand alone within the animal kingdom when it comes to engaging in warfare (Smith, 2008).

Indeed, a basic course that includes learning about natural selection leads immediately to an understanding of adaptations as serving individuals within a species, often at a cost to conspecifics (other members of the same species; c.f., Dawkins, 1976).

In a sense, these ideas that serve as a foundation for the field of evolutionary psychology have a strong focus on anti-social behaviors—behaviors that hurt others to one's own evolutionary benefit.

If we stop there in our learning about how evolution has shaped human behavior, it stands to reason that this perspective would become known for painting a deeply disturbing portrait of who we........

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