PSBA024 Comparative Psychology

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Lubomír Vašina, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Vojtěch Juřík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Vojtěch Juřík, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jarmila Valchářová
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 17:00–17:50 D22, except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
By successfully completing the course the student acquires the basics of evolutionary psychology focusing on current trends in evolutionary psychology in the field of basic cognitive processes and social psychology and social neuroscience.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to apply knowledge from evolutionary psychology as a broader framework for understanding social psychology and mental psychology, and ideally also in their own lives. Students will further deepen their ability to critically analyze scientific text, specifically the conclusions of research studies/articles in the field of evolutionary psychology. Students will improve their science and research presentation skills and group discussion skills.
Syllabus
  • History and basic of evolutionary theory (Darwin, Hamilton, Dawkins). Basic terms and concepts of evolutionary theory (evolution, adaptation, natural selection, gen). Causality and different explanation levels in evolutionary theory (Tinbergen, Buss). Areas of evolutionary psychology (EP) in regarding of goals and research methods. Classical bioevolutionary psychology – basic topics: sexuality, nurturing of progeny. Social evolutionary psychology and it´s areas I: cooperation, rivalvry, coalitions, social evolution and culture. Social evolutionary psychology and it´s areas II: machiavelistic inteligence, morality. Modularity in the context of evolutionary psychology (Fodor, Chomsky, Tooby a Cosmides and others). Module types and current views and critics of theory of modularity. Cognitive processes in view of evolutionary psychology. EP in language and communication (Dunbar, Pinker). Social Brain – social cognition. Theory of mind, mirroring neurons, disorders of social cognitions from perspective of EP. Future trends and critical evalution of evolutionary psychology.
Literature
    required literature
  • BARRETT, Louise, R. I. M. DUNBAR and John LYCETT. Evoluční psychologie člověka. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2007, 551 s. ISBN 9788071789697. info
  • Vybraná studie z oblasti evoluční psychologie publikována v odborném časopise
    recommended literature
  • ZARATE, Oscar. Evoluční psychologie. Edited by Dylan Evans. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2002, 175 s. ISBN 807178611X. info
  • WRIGHT, Robert. Morální zvíře. Translated by Antonín Hradilek - Hana Žantovská. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2011, 452 s. ISBN 9788074220753. info
    not specified
  • DUNBAR, R. I. M. Příběh rodu Homo : nové dějiny evoluce člověka. Translated by Jana Enderlová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2009, 222 s. ISBN 9788020017154. info
  • RIDLEY, Matt. Červená královna : [sexualita a vývoj lidské přirozenosti]. Translated by Martin Konvička. Vyd. 2., v Portálu 1. Praha: Portál, 2007, 315 s. ISBN 9788073671358. info
Teaching methods
lecture, discussion, the student presents an analysis of a scientific article on the topic of evolutionary psychology
Assessment methods
final written exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/PSBA024