Showing papers by "Bruce J. Ellis published in 2000"
TL;DR: It was found that a history of mood disorders in mothers predicted earlier pubertal timing in daughters, and this relation was fully mediated by dyadic stress and biological father absence.
Abstract: Drawing on Belsky, Steinberg, and Draper's evolutionary theory of the development of reproductive strategies, we tested a model of individual differences in girls' pubertal timing. This model posits that a history of psychopathology in mothers results in earlier pubertal maturation in daughters, and that this effect is mediated by discordant family relationships and father absence/stepfather presence. The model was supported in a short-term longitudinal study of 87 adolescent girls. In the primary test of the model, it was found that a history of mood disorders in mothers predicted earlier pubertal timing in daughters, and this relation was fully mediated by dyadic stress and biological father absence. In families in which the mother's romantic partner was not the biological father, dyadic stress accounted for almost half of the variation in daughters' pubertal timing. Stepfather presence, rather than biological father absence, best accounted for earlier pubertal maturation in girls living apart from their biological fathers. We propose that stepfather presence and stressful family relationships constitute separate paths to early pubertal maturation in girls.
409 citations
TL;DR: This paper reviewed principles of philosophy of science that are used to construct and evaluate metatheoretical research programs and applied these principles to evaluate evolutionary psychology. But they focused on the generation of competing theories and hypotheses within a single evolutionary framework.
Abstract: Are the methods and strategies that evolutionary psychologists use to generate and test hypotheses scientifically defensible? This target article addresses this question by reviewing principles of philosophy of science that are used to construct and evaluate metatheoretical research programs and applying these principles to evaluate evolutionary psychology. Examples of evolutionary models of family violence, sexual jealousy, and male parental investment are utilized to evaluate whether the procedures for developing and testing evolutionary psychological models are consistent with contemporary philosophy of science. Special attention is paid to the generation of competing theories and hypotheses within a single evolutionary framework. It is argued that this competition is a function of the multiple levels of scientific explanation employed by evolutionary psychologists, and that this explanatory system adheres to the Lakatosian philosophy of science. The charge that evolutionary theories and hypotheses are...
157 citations
TL;DR: A discrete systems model of the functions of two emotion systems in romantic relationships, which posits that the operation of these systems reflects adaptations shaped by natural selection to solve different adaptive problems, predicted relationship satisfaction.
Abstract: In a study of 124 dating couples, we tested a discrete systems model of the functions of two emotion systems in romantic relationships: love and anger/upset. This model posits that the operation of these systems reflects adaptations shaped by natural selection to solve different adaptive problems. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the love and anger/upset emotion systems would be largely independent in the classes of information they track in romantic relationships, in the psychological mechanisms that process that information, and in the resultant behavior generated. Consistent with the discrete systems model, and in contrast to a competing "crossover" model, differences across relationships in feelings of love covaried with differences in strategic facilitation but not in strategic interference by partners. Similarly, differences in feelings of anger/upset during conflict covaried with differences in strategic interference but not strategic facilitation. In turn, feelings of love predicted commitment-promoting behavior but not partner-directed aggression, whereas levels of anger/upset predicted aggression but not commitment. As also predicted by our model, the love and anger/upset emotion systems converged to predict relationship satisfaction. Language: en
57 citations
TL;DR: A central goal of this article was to evaluate the soundness of evolutionary psychology's epistemology in relation to the critical claim that evolutionary explanations are unfalsifiable, and none of the 16 commentators challenge this central assertion.
Abstract: A central goal ofourtarget article was to evaluate the soundness of evolutionary psychology's epistemology in relation to the critical claim that evolutionary explanations are unfalsifiable. None of the 16 commentators challenge our central assertion-that the methods and strategies employed by evolutionary psychologists to generate and test hypotheses are scientifically defensible-and thus we consider our basic goal to have been achieved. However, the commentators raise a number of thoughtful and thought-provoking points. In our response to these commentaries we focus on a subset of philosophical and metatheoretical issues that we believe are most deserving of further discussion. The first part ofthis rejoinder addresses issues concerning evolutionary psychology and the philosophy of science; the second part addresses issues concerning the core assumptions of evolutionary psychology.
29 citations