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Evolutionary Psychology Resources

Evolutionary Psychology Resources

evolutionary psychology

Evolutionary psychology is a theoretical approach to psychology that examines human psychological structure from a modern evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary psychologists aim to identify and explore human psychological traits, such as language, perception, or memory, that may be evolved adaptations (i.e., functional products of natural selection in human evolution). Researchers have shown that human behaviors related to topics such as intelligence, beauty, marriage, parenting, and many more may be evolved adaptations.

Thought Leaders

Anders Gustafsson 

Anders Gustafsson is a research professor of marketing at Sweden’s Karlstad Business School.

Gad Saad

Gad Saad is Professor of Marketing and holder of the Concordia University Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University

Latest Research from the AMA Journals

Charles Dennis, J. Joško Brakus, Gemma García Ferrer, Charles McIntyre, Eleftherios Alamanos, Tamira King (2018), “A Cross-National Study of Evolutionary Origins of Gender Shopping Styles: She Gatherer, He Hunter?Journal of International Marketing, 26 (4), forthcoming.


Tobias Otterbring, Christine Ringler, Nancy J. Sirianni, Anders Gustafsson (2018), “The Abercrombie & Fitch Effect: The Impact of Physical Dominance on Male Customers’ Status-Signaling Consumption,” Journal of Marketing Research, 55 (1), 69–79.


Gad Saad (2017), “On the Method of Evolutionary Psychology and Its Applicability to Consumer Research,” Journal of Marketing Research, 54 (3), 464–77.


Jingjing Ma, David Gal (2016), “When Sex and Romance Conflict: The Effect of Sexual Imagery in Advertising on Preference for Romantically Linked Products and Services,” Journal of Marketing Research, 53 (4), 479–96.


Kristina M. Durante, Juliano Laran (2016), “The Effect of Stress on Consumer Saving and Spending,” Journal of Marketing Research, 53 (5), 814–28.


Kristina M. Durante, Vladas Griskevicius, Stephanie M.Cantú, Jeffry A. Simpson (2014), “Money, Status, and the Ovulatory Cycle,” Journal of Marketing Research, 51 (1), 27–39.


Vladas Griskevicius, Stephanie M. Cantú, Mark van Vugt (2012), “The Evolutionary Bases for Sustainable Behavior: Implications for Marketing, Policy, and Social Entrepreneurship,” Journal of Public Policy& Marketing, 31 (1), 115–28.

Alpha Males and Subconscious Sales

Research suggests that men still shop with their instincts, compensating for inferiority by flaunting their buying power.​


Anders Gustafsson Discusses Why Models Make Men Buy More at Abercrombie & Fitch