TY - JOUR
T1 - Adaptations, Exaptations, and Spandrels
AU - Buss, David M.
AU - Haselton, Martie G.
AU - Shackelford, Todd K.
AU - Bleske, April L.
AU - Wakefield, Jerome C.
PY - 1998/5
Y1 - 1998/5
N2 - Adaptation and natural selection are central concepts in the emerging science of evolutionary psychology. Natural selection is the only known causal process capable of producing complex functional organic mechanisms. These adaptations, along with their incidental by-products and a residue of noise, comprise all forms of life. Recently, S. J. Gould (1991) proposed that exaptations and spandrels may be more important than adaptations for evolutionary psychology. These refer to features that did not originally arise for their current use but rather were co-opted for new purposes. He suggested that many important phenomena - such as art, language, commerce, and war - although evolutionary in origin, are incidental spandrels of the large human brain. The authors outline the conceptual and evidentiary standards that apply to adaptations, exaptations, and spandrels and discuss the relative utility of these concepts for psychological science.
AB - Adaptation and natural selection are central concepts in the emerging science of evolutionary psychology. Natural selection is the only known causal process capable of producing complex functional organic mechanisms. These adaptations, along with their incidental by-products and a residue of noise, comprise all forms of life. Recently, S. J. Gould (1991) proposed that exaptations and spandrels may be more important than adaptations for evolutionary psychology. These refer to features that did not originally arise for their current use but rather were co-opted for new purposes. He suggested that many important phenomena - such as art, language, commerce, and war - although evolutionary in origin, are incidental spandrels of the large human brain. The authors outline the conceptual and evidentiary standards that apply to adaptations, exaptations, and spandrels and discuss the relative utility of these concepts for psychological science.
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U2 - 10.1037/0003-066X.53.5.533
DO - 10.1037/0003-066X.53.5.533
M3 - Article
C2 - 9612136
AN - SCOPUS:0032059699
SN - 0003-066X
VL - 53
SP - 533
EP - 548
JO - American Psychologist
JF - American Psychologist
IS - 5
ER -