The founder of social evolutionary psychology - known as much for his outsized personality as for his brilliance - gives us a singular tour of the human mind. In "Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life", social psychologist Douglas Kenrick integrates cognitive science, evolutionary psychology, and the science of complexity to paint a fuller picture than ever before of the simple and selfish rules that govern our lives, influencing how we seek friendships, status, and self-protection; how we choose mates; how we raise children - and even how we shop for a car. But such rules needn't make selfish or simple people. Out of their interaction emerge the patterned and complex societies and people we see, and all the one-night stands, racial prejudices, self-serving nepotism, porn addictions, artistic creativity, economic consumption, religion, and politics that a gregarious species can handle. Many books on evolutionary psychology seem to suggest that, because we are apes, we can't be expected to do anything but act like them. By exploring the nuance of social psychology and the surprising results of his own work, Kenrick gives a much fuller picture of what makes us caring, creative, and complex-that is, fully human. Illuminated with stories from Kenrick's eventful and colorful life, "Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of life" is an exploration of our biological inheritance, our mental biases and failures, and our mind's great successes.
| ISBN | 0465020445 | | Pages | 288 | | ISBN13 | 9780465020447
(What's this?) | | Weight (grammes) | 449 | | Publisher | The Perseus Books Group | | Published in | New York | | Imprint | Basic Books | | Height (mm) | 235 | | Format | Hardback | | Width (mm) | 155 | | Publication date | 19 May 2011 | | Spine width (mm) | 24 | | DEWEY | 302 | | Academic level | General | | DEWEY edition | DC22 | |
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"Kirkus""Kenrick's gift for speaking directly to the reader and making the abstract concrete through humor and homely examples make ["Sex, Murder, and The Meaning of Life"] an accessible and engaging exploration of how human behavior is connected to the behavior of our primitive ancestors." Richard Wrangham, Ruth B. Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard University; author of "Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human""""Kenrick's irreverent potpourri of personal anecdote, background science and catchy experiments makes evolutionary social psychology both entertaining and profound. "Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life "is a disturbing and fascinating read. It will make you wonder who you are."Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University; Author of "How the Mind Works, The Language Instinct, "and "The Stuff of Thought""""Douglas Kenrick is one of the most important scientists studying the evolutionary shaping of human drives and emotions. By highlighting the author's own research, this lively book introduces readers to new evidence on how the mind works, presented in a cohesive framework." Daniel Gilbert, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University; Author of "Stumbling on Happiness""""Several decades ago, Doug Kenrick married evolutionary biology to social psychology and he has been a leader in this important field ever since. Unlike many scientists, he sees the big picture and writes with humor, wisdom, and verve. I'm eager to read his book!" Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics, Duke University; Author of "Predictably Irrational"""""Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life" helps us understand our complex, odd and quirky nature. It is a fascinating journey that brought us here and Douglas Kenrick is a master in helping us understand our real nature." Sonja Lyubomirsky, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside; Author of "The How of Happiness""""Douglas Kenrick
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