SEMINAR THEMES
Evolutionary Psychology (Brody)SEMINAR THEMES
by James Brody, John Fentress, Dylan Evans, 5/7/98
Seminar Themes
Healing the Moral Animal: Lessons from Evolution
A continuation of Clinical Sociobiology: Taking Charge of Our Genes
Summer 1998
Tuesday, July 21, 1998. 7 P.M. - 9 P.M. (or whenever, food @ 6 P.M.)
GENE CONVERSATIONALISTS AND CONDUCTORS
John Fentress, Ph. D.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
Dalhousie University
Instruction versus selection models are now hotly explored in psychology, neuroscience and a variety of other biological fields. Nearly all workers today believe that a broad epigenetic approach, one that incorporates developmental conversations between defined intrinsic and extrinsic factors, is much more productive and reproductive. Adaptive behavior reflects the match between organism and environment at every phase of developmental trajectories, the outcomes of that match heavily influencing reproductive success.
As a starter, it is useful to think of experience as a much broader concept than learning. Experiences are essentially everything impinging upon (and processed by?) the developing organism. Developmental boundaries open and close. Different genetic backgrounds can produce very different consequences from the same experience. Experiences may add information or select (and amplify) pre-existing potentials. On the other hand, biological systems do not just "mirror" the details of experience, but amplify, distort, and elaborate upon it. And there are times when organisms seem quite insensitive to events that have a major impact at others.
Precisely HOW do we expect genes and experiences to work together? How do organisms develop specialized structures and functions and also bring these into adaptive registration with one another? How separate versus interconnected are these systems during ontogeny? To what extent do genes set the stage on which other physico-chemical laws work?
These are some of the broad ideas that we might include. Perhaps, we can start by thinking of evolution and development as co-partners (conversationalists) in the production of adaptive function. We can then ask how this conversation works, and where (and how) things might break down. I hope that clinical and experimental insights will each be discussed, and shared with whatever degree of formality makes people happy. Concrete examples will be shared.
Wednesday, July 22, 1998. 7 P.M. - 9 P.M. (or whenever, food @ 6 P.M.)
EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY AND THE CLASSIFICATION OF MENTAL DISORDERS
Dylan Evans, M.A., Ph. D. Candidate
Center for the Philosophy of Natural and Social Sciences
London School of Economics
London, U. K.
"Psychological Adaptations" promise a modular approach to client diagnosis, one that incorporates client assets and their complaints into a treatment approach, and views complaints as a product of both the client's particular set of mental adaptations as well as his/her setting.
There are costs, however. The current DSM is a complaint-based system and represents a substantial financial and administrative apparatus, a growth that arose from research investment and funding (health insurance) needs. Those needs continue and should be respected.
An "Adaptations" approach has a greater promise of theoretical and applied links to proximal sciences such as biology, anthropology, and psychology. It also promises great power for understanding individual development; however, it must gain more systematic empirical support for its content before either promise is kept.
One contribution of an evolutionary model is that of recognizing pathology as sometimes being an adaptive response -- or an exaggeration of one -- that is in a nonsupportive niche. Assessment of the client's other talents as well as his environment become more important steps in forming treatment alliances and supplying temporally durable assistance.
Alternate contributions, touched lightly, depending on time and participant interests:
Familial traits ... interview parents & grandparents of details of behavior, not just their mental health diagnoses or temperaments.
Executive Functions ... their contributions to pathology, regardless of syndrome.
Complexity models of psychopathology.
Sociophysiological ... recognition of facial expression, vocal quality, hierarchic standing, etc.
Thursday, July 23, 1998. 7 P.M. - 9 P.M. (or whenever, food @ 6 P.M.)
A COMPLEXITY MODEL AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT ... GETTING THE CLIENT TO "MAYBE."
James Brody, Ph.D.
Host, Evolutionary Psychology, Behavior OnLine
Clinical observation reveals that some clients are particularly sensitive to small changes in medication dose and type as well as to slight alterations in their environment, whether a spoken comment or the triggering of an old memory. Complexity theory nicely describes these phenomena as well as remediative steps.
Kauffman (1995, At Home in the Universe, NY: Oxford) discusses chaos, stasis, and phase transitions. The model has consequences for evolution, for our cognitive assets, language, and social organization. There are powerful implications for diagnosis and treatment of emotional distress as well as for our understanding of Free Will.
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Prior Reading: Start with the immediately adjoining essay. Further essays above on this page.
*Location, Registration, Food: Our meetings will be held in a private home in the Wellfleet area. Maximum of 10 participants in each. Enroll by email (jbrody @compuserve.com) or snail
(J.F. Brody, 1262 W. Bridge St., Spring City, PA 19475)
Plan to throw $5 in a bucket for food at Registration on the Cape for each seminar. Let me know if you hate pasta!
Posted www.cape.org/1998/