ABSTRACT

Evolutionary psychology is the study of universal human nature, or the sexspecific male human nature and female human nature. Human nature consists of domain-specific evolved psychological mechanisms. A psychological mechanism is an information-processing procedure or “decision rule” which evolution by natural and sexual selection has equipped humans to possess in order to solve an adaptive problem (problem of survival or reproduction). Unlike decision rules in decision theory or game theory, however, psychological mechanisms mostly operate behind our conscious thinking. Evolved psychological mechanisms produce values and preferences, which actors then pursue within their constraints; they also engender emotions (Kanazawa, 2001).