human evolution

The central purpose of this essay is to critically discuss the importance of understanding human evolution and the history of psychology for the modern psychologist. For the human evolution, the essay will be addressing on how we and other species descended from our ancestors and how the different environment has helped to us to become more adaptable. Regarding the history of psychology, the essay will be discussing on how psychology branched off from the philosophy approach to become its own science. The essay will then go on discussing how the understanding of both human evolution and history of psychology would be used by modern psychologist.

Every story has a beginning and an end. To be able to understand the importance of modern psychology, it is vital to take a few steps back and look at where it all started. Having a brief understanding of the human evolution firstly will provide a basic background on where the idea of psychology first emerged. This will also enable us to have to have an understanding of the origins of the modern mind and how modern psychologist uses psychology as science to help explain reasons behind how the mind processes and our behaviours.

Main body

Human evolution is a process that suggests that people originated from apelike ancestors which happened about 6-4.5 million years ago. Charles Darwin’s theory of human evolution proposes that humans descended from African apes. The first species to appear around 4.5 million years ago were the Australopithecus, these were vegetarians. These were not strictly humans but were able to walk upright. They had a small brain of about 400cc and did not use tools. Around 2 million years ago, Homo habilis also emerged from Africa, they were the first species to ut...

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...y’s society.

Works Cited

Benjamin, L.T. (2007). A Brief History of Modern Psychology. Blackwell: Oxford

Mithen, S. J. (1996) The prehistory of the mind: a search for the origins of art, religion, and science. London: Thames and Hudson.

Tobias P. V., (1987) ‘The brain of Homo habilis: A new level of organization in cerebral evolution.’ Journal of Human Evolution. Vol. 16, Issues 7–8, Pg. 741–761.

Leahey T. H., (1994) A history of modern psychology. Prentice Hall International Edition: New Jersey. 2nd edn.

Martin, N.G. (2013). Psychology. Pearson education limited: Coventry . 5th edn. Pg21-36

http://voices.yahoo.com/history-modern-psychology-10161919.html http://www.psy.cmu.edu/~rakison/plotkinreview.pdf http://www.epjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/EP05232256.pdf

Wynn, T.(2002) ‘Archaeology and Cognitive evolution’. behavioral and brain science 25, 389-438