Evolutionary psychology studies the transformations that individuals go through over time.
Evolutionary psychology is a branch of psychology that is responsible for analyzing the transformations that people undergo over time. These changes can be explained by factors that are usually opposed in opposition: continuity/discontinuity , inheritance/environment , etc.
Experts consider that human development arises from the systematic change of psychological nature that occurs throughout the entire existence of the individual. In this process, the subject accesses increasingly complex states. Evolutionary psychology (also known as developmental psychology) focuses on these issues.
Specialists in evolutionary psychology
In this context, the psychologist strives to ensure that the patient better understands his evolution and the context in which he develops. Development must be considered as a continuous, global and flexible process.
There are specialists who maintain that society and culture force and impose a series of tasks implicit in the development of the human being. Through the socialization process, the fulfillment of these activities ends up becoming an aspiration of the subject himself.
Evolutionary psychology is also known as developmental psychology.
Basic stages in the development of the human being
The American psychologist of German origin Erik Erikson contemplates eight basic stages in the development of the human being: the so-called incorporative stage , which consists of the oral phase that begins at birth and lasts until the first year of age, in which the child It depends entirely on its environment; the early childhood stage , between one and three years of age, known as the anal muscular phase and determined by the control of the sphincters and muscles; the latency or school period , between six and twelve years; the stage of adolescence , which extends between twelve and twenty years of age and where identity is consolidated; the young adult stage , from twenty to forty years old and where one usually forms one's own family; the middle or mature adult period , from forty to sixty years, where the progress of the younger generations is facilitated; and the late adult or older adult stage , where integrity revolves around acceptance of the natural finitude of human life.
In addition to the aforementioned Erik Eriksson , within this current we cannot ignore the names of other authors who also left their deep mark on it. This would be the case, for example, of the famous doctor and neurologist Sigmund Freud . He has gone down in history not only for being one of the greatest intellectuals of the 20th century but also for being considered the father of psychoanalysis .
Along with him, Lev Vygotsky , a Russian psychologist who is one of the main thinkers in this area, also appears in this area of evolutionary psychology. He also stands out for being the founder of the so-called historical-cultural psychology, which would make it clear that when it comes to explaining the development of the human being, this must inevitably be done taking into account what social interaction is.
Other experts in evolutionary psychology
Jean Piaget is also another of the authors who cannot be overlooked in the subject we are addressing and he made important contributions to it. In this sense, he established that there are four stages or periods within the development of the human being: the sensory-motor stage, the pre-operative stage, the stage of concrete operations and the stage of formal operations.
Very influenced by this aforementioned author is Lawrence Hohlberg , a doctor who basically focused on what is known as the development of moral judgment. This is a term that encompasses the set of reasons that people have to carry out one or another action.