Unit rationale, description and aim

Understanding the underpinning of human behaviour and cognition is central to psychology. This unit will examine the effects of evolutionary processes on humans in an attempt to better understand why people think and behave in the ways that they do. In this unit students will be introduced to evolutionary psychology through a study of the major theories and research findings in the area. The unit will explore the effects of the pressures of survival, reproduction, child rearing, and group living on behaviour and cognitive processes. The aim of this unit is to provide students with a broad understanding of evolutionary psychology.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

PSYC100 Foundations of Psychology AND PSYC101 Applications of Psychology AND PSYC110 Research Design and Data Analysis 1

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Describe key theories and findings across the evol...

Learning Outcome 01

Describe key theories and findings across the evolutionary psychology areas covered in this unit.

Identify, discuss and apply the research methodolo...

Learning Outcome 02

Identify, discuss and apply the research methodology used to investigate questions in evolutionary psychology

Evaluate the validity of theoretical arguments and...

Learning Outcome 03

Evaluate the validity of theoretical arguments and research findings in each topic area

Express arguments about key issues in each topic a...

Learning Outcome 04

Express arguments about key issues in each topic area based on a reflection of existing research findings and theory

Content

Topics will include: 

  • Evolutionary approaches to psychology
  • Research methods
  • Group living: Cooperation, reciprocity and sharing, violence and aggression Reproduction: Parental investment and mate choice, Life-history constraints Evolutionary psychology explanations of cognition and social cognition
  • Evolution and culture and society

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to best enable students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. A range of assessment strategies are used including: an essay to assess students’ ability to describe and evaluate the literature and to make an argument; a research proposal which assesses students’ ability to make an argument and apply evolutionary research methodology to an area of enquiry; a learning portfolio which provides students’ with an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding, consolidation and application of the content covered in the unit.

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1 Essay   Assesses students' abil...

Assessment Task 1

Essay  

Assesses students' ability to describe and evaluate the literature and to make an argument.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2 Research Proposal   Assesses st...

Assessment Task 2

Research Proposal  

Assesses students' ability to make an argument and apply evolutionary research methodology to an area of enquiry.

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3 Learning Portfolio Assesses stu...

Assessment Task 3

Learning Portfolio

Assesses students’ understanding, consolidation and application of the content covered in the unit.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit has the equivalent of 3 contact hours per week (2 hour lecture and a 1 hour tutorial), over 12 weeks. This mode of delivery is designed to enhance discussion and engagement in the content covered in the unit. The lectures are to aid with the acquisition and understanding of knowledge while the tutorials are designed to enhance application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of that knowledge. Learning and teaching strategies may include active learning, case-based learning, individual and group activities, cooperative learning, web-based learning, and reflective/critical thinking activities. These strategies will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Buss, D.M. (2015). Handbook of evolutionary psychology (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons 

Buss, D.M. (2019). Evolutionary psychology: the new science of the mind (6th ed). Pearson.

Workman, L, & Reader, W. (2021). Evolutionary Psychology: An introduction (4th ed). Cambridge University Press. 

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