Behavioral and Brain Sciences



Short Communication

The importance of comparative and phylogenetic analyses in the study of adaptation


James R. Roney a1 and Dario Maestripieri a1
a1 Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 jrroney@midway.uchicago.edu dario@uchicago.edu http://primate.uchicago.edu/jim.htm http://primate.uchicago.edu/dario.htm

Abstract

Homology can provide strong evidence against exapted learning mechanism (ELM) explanations for psychological and behavioral traits. Homologous traits are constructed by commonly inherited developmental mechanisms. As such, demonstration of homology for a trait argues for its construction by an inherited rather than an exapted developmental process. We conclude that comparative evidence can play an important evidentiary role within evolutionary psychology.