Theoretical Basis and Controversial Issues in Evolutionary Psychology

지난 이십여 년 동안 진화심리학은 빠르게 발전을 거듭하면서 인간의 마음을 연구하는 새로운 흐름으로서 전세계 심리학계에서 크게 주목을 받고 있다. 그러나 진화심리학을 전공한 학자가 매우 부족한 국내의 실정상, 진화심리학에 대한 오해나 선입견이 심리학자들 사이에도 종종 발견된다. 본 논문은 국내 심리학자들의 눈높이에 맞추어 진화심리학의 이론적 토대를 명확히 설명하고 진화심리학에 대한 흔한 오해들을 바로잡고자 한다. 먼저, 마음의 적응적 설계를 규명하고자 하는 진화심리학은 모든 심리현상에 적용 가능한 이론적 틀을 제공함을 설명한다. 다음으로 1) 진화심리학은 경험적으로 반증불가능하다는 오해, 2) 진화심리학은 유전자 결정론이라는 오해, 3) 인간 행동은 생물학적 진화보다는 학습에 의해 더 잘 설명된다는 오해, 4) 집단 간의 차이는 생물학이 아니라 문화로 설명된다는 오해 등을 논의한다. 결론적으로, 진화적 시각은 단편적인 사실들을 매끄럽게 통합해 설명해 줄 뿐만 아니라, 미지의 사실들에 대한 신빙성 있는 예측을 제공해주는 유용한 도구임을 강조한다.

keywords: evolutionary psychology, psychological mechanism, natural selection, adaptation, human mind, 진화심리학, 심리 기제, 자연선택, 적응, 마음

Abstract

For the past two decades, evolutionary psychology has rapidly developed as a novel theoretical perspective that studies the human mind and behavior, thus gaining much attention from psychologists working worldwide. Unfortunately, Korea has few psychologists specialized in evolutionary psychology, which often results in a number of misunderstandings or prejudices of evolutionary psychology among mainstream psychologists. To overcome this difficulty, I hereby attempt to clarify the theoretical foundations of evolutionary psychology and to redress the common misunderstandings about it. Evolutionary psychology aims to elucidate the adaptive design of the human mind and hence provides the organizing theoretical framework that can be utilized to study any psychological phenomena. I then discuss four common misunderstandings of evolutionary psychology: 1) evolutionary psychology is empirically unfalsifiable, 2) evolutionary psychology is a form of genetic determinism, 3) human behavior stems from learning, rather than from biological evolution, and 4) between-group differences are best explained by culture, rather than biological evolution. I conclude that the evolutionary perspective not only unify scattered findings within a coherent explanation, but also provides a heuristic guide to unknown facts.

keywords: evolutionary psychology, psychological mechanism, natural selection, adaptation, human mind, 진화심리학, 심리 기제, 자연선택, 적응, 마음

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논문 상세

Vol.29 No.4

진화심리학의 이론적 토대와 쟁점들

Theoretical Basis and Controversial Issues in Evolutionary Psychology

초록

Abstract

참고문헌

한국심리학회지: 일반