Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - August 2011 - Volume 34, Issue 04  

Open Peer Commentary

Evolutionary psychology and Bayesian modeling

Laith Al-Shawafa1 and David Bussa1

a1 Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712. dbuss@psy.utexas.edu www.davidbuss.com

Abstract

The target article provides important theoretical contributions to psychology and Bayesian modeling. Despite the article's excellent points, we suggest that it succumbs to a few misconceptions about evolutionary psychology (EP). These include a mischaracterization of evolutionary psychology's approach to optimality; failure to appreciate the centrality of mechanism in EP; and an incorrect depiction of hypothesis testing. An accurate characterization of EP offers more promise for successful integration with Bayesian modeling.

(Online publication August 25 2011)

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