ABSTRACT
Evolutionary approaches to child behavior are rare breeds indeed. Certainly, the work of child ethologists (e.g., Bowlby, 1969) is often cited to exemplify the utility of applying (Darwinian) evolution to human behavior. 1 Theory development, however, was not a goal of old-school ethology (with attachment theory being a notable exception) because, according to its methodological philosophy (a legacy of Tinbergen, 1963), detailed observations and extensive behavioral catalogs (e.g., ethograms) take precedence over theory (Blurton Jones, 1972). Moreover, ethologists (like behaviorists), found intrinsic characteristics of individuals (e.g., intelligence, personality, and motivation) to be of dubious value. It thus comes as no surprise that ethology—although it is credited for bringing rigorous naturalistic observation to psychology—is better represented in historical overview sections of college texts than in later substantive chapters.
