Evolutionary Approach

Definition

The evolutionary approach in psychology applies principles of evolution, including natural selection and survival of the fittest, to explain psychological processes and phenomena.

Related terms

Natural Selection:

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Adaptation:

In an evolutionary sense, it refers to an organism's ability to adjust or change in response to changes in its environment which increases its chances for survival.

Survival of the Fittest: A phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection.