ABSTRACT
Why should communication scholars consider evolutionarily grounded explanations for their research? And if they wish to do so, how can such approaches be integrated into established research processes? This chapter first presents arguments for why communication research, with its focus on the experiencing and behavior of the evolved organism Homo sapiens, should consider an evolutionary theoretical background, and will clear up common misconceptions on evolution and biology that might deter scholars from considering evolution. Then, scholarly advice on sound research procedures is presented, describing established guidelines for the development of evolutionarily grounded theories, and for deriving and testing of the respective hypotheses. The chapter concludes with examples of how an evolutionary perspective could advance research on some common phenomena of human communication and media use.
