Bridging the Gap Between Modern Evolutionary Psychology and the Study of Individual Differences

Abstract

This chapter explores how individual differences can be better integrated into modern evolutionary psychology. It first introduces life history theory as arguably the most important evolutionary theory for the study of individual differences and then discusses different sources of individual differences from an evolutionary perspective. After a brief discussion of sex differences, it focuses on two different forms of conditional adaptations, those evolved mechanisms that react flexibly to the environment, as sources of non-heritable individual differences. It then explicates how an evolutionary perspective can be taken on genetic differences between individuals. Finally, the chapter presents a general evolutionary framework for the study of individual differences that integrates universal adaptations, genetic differences, and life history theory and outlines some future directions for an evolutionary psychology of individual differences.