Abstract
This article addresses the emergence of human personality in evolution. The mechanisms of natural and sexual selection developed by Darwin are not sufficient to explain the sense of self. Therefore we attempt to trace the evolutionary process back to a form of selection termed “emotional selection.” This involves reconstructing selection out of subjective qualities and showing how emotions enable human forms of life that are relevant for the cultural level of cooperation that marks our species. We see a paradigm shift in the concept of emotional selection that binds emotion and evolution closer together, thus closing the explanatory gap between classical ethology and modern evolutionary psychology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Modern theories of emotions show a great terminological confusion. While some authors make a distinction between feeling and emotion, others don’t. Following Lorenz (1970, p. 300), we use both terms synonymously: “The English expression ‘emotion’ roughly corresponds to a concept compassing that of Gefühle and Affekte and it is best to translate this term into German through these two words.”
Our distinction of animal first- and human second-order emotions does not coincide with Damasio’s distinction of primary and secondary or social emotions. For Damasio (1999), both kinds of emotions can be found in animals and in humans.
Lorenz gives the example of different behavior patterns of chickens (Gallus bankiva) in case of danger: “We are quite definitely unjustified in assuming that there is a unitary experience for these two entirely-independent responses, unless we wish to fall into indefensible anthropomorphism.” The different animal emotions cannot be termed “fear.” This should be taken into consideration by the present interpretation of fear or angst—which is currently one of the most discussed emotions (1970, p. 301).
It is characteristic of the functionalism of classical ethology that Lorenz does not mention sexuality among the preconditions of humanization. Instead he cites central spatial representation, explorative curiosity, and neotony, plus the liberation of rigid instincts, as preconditions (1971, p. 238).
For a more elaborated study of playing activities in sexual behaviors see Donald Symons, who concludes: “With respect to sexual behaviors and dispositions, I shall argue that in some ways selection acted oppositely on human males and females, and that these differing selective pressures are evidenced in sex differences in the brain and are reflected in behavior and psyche but not so much in easily observed and measured anatomy” (Symons 1981 p. 165).
Ernst Mayr defends sexual selection as a genuine form of selection, but concedes that Darwins’s analysis was incomplete (Mayr 1972).
References
Buss DM (2009) Evolutionary psychology: the new science of the mind. Pearson, Boston
Buss DM, Hawley PH (2011) The evolution of personality and individual differences. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Damasio AR (1999) The feeling of what happens: body and emotion in the making of consciousness. Harcourt, New York
Darwin C (2004) The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. In: Moore J, Desmond A (eds) Introduction. Penguin, London
De Waal FBM (2011) What is an animal emotion? Ann NY Acad Sci 1224:191–206
Dennett D (1991) Consciousness explained. Allen Lane, London
Ellis H (1936) Studies in the psychology of sex. 2 vols. Random House, New York
Engelen EM (2012) Meaning and emotion. In: Wilson P (ed) Dynamicity in emotion concepts. Frankfurt a. Main, Peterlang
Fellmann F (2009) Das Paar als Quelle des Selbst. Zu den soziobiologischen Grundlagen der philosophischen Anthropologie. Dtsch Z Philosoph 57:745–756
Fellmann F (2010) The origin of man behind the veil of ignorance: a psychobiological approach. Biol Theory 5:240–245
Fisher RA (2009) The genetical theory of natural selection. Clarendon Press, Oxford
Frankfurt HG (1995) The importance of what we care about: philosophical essays. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Frankfurt HG (2004) The reasons of love. Princeton University Press, Princeton
Freud S (1948) Gesammelte Werke XIV. Imago, London
Groos K (1930) Die Spiele der Tiere. Gustav Fischer, Jena
Hrdy SB (2009) Mothers and others: the evolutionary origins of mutual understanding. Harvard University Press, Cambridge
Huxley J (2010) Evolution: the modern synthesis. MIT Press, Cambridge
James W (1950) The principles of psychology. Dover, New York
James W (1967) Essays in radical empiricism. Peter Smith, Gloucester
Kelly GA (1955) The psychology of personal constructs, 2 vols. Norton, New York
Lorenz K (1966) On aggression. Methuen, London
Lorenz K (1970) Studies in animal and human behavior, vol I. Methuen, London
Lorenz K (1971) Studies in animal and human behavior, vol II. Methuen, London
Lovejoy CO (2009) Reexamining human origins in light of Ardipithecus ramidus. Science 326:74.74e1–74e8
Mayr E (2001) What evolution is. Basic Books, New York
Mayr E (1972) Sexual selection and natural selection. In: Campbell BG (ed) Sexual selection and the descent of man: the Darwinian pivot. Aldine Transaction, London
Miller GF (2000) The mating mind: how sexual choice shaped the evolution of human nature. Random House, New York
Morgan CL (1900) Animal behaviour. Edward Arnold, London
Pinker S (2002) The blank slate: the modern denial of human nature. Penguin, London
Symons D (1981) The evolution of human sexuality. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Thornhill R, Gangestad W (2008) The evolutionary biology of human female sexuality. Oxford University Press, New York
Tinbergen N (1951) The study of instinct. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Tomasello M (1999) The cultural origin of human cognition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge
Voland E (2009) Soziobiologie: Die Evolution von Kooperation und Konkurrenz. Spektrum, Heidelberg
Von Uexküll J (1956) Streifzüge durch die Umwelten von Tieren und Menschen. Rowohlt, Hamburg
Wallace AR (1900) Studies, scientific and social. Macmillan, New York
Wallner B (2005) Übergänge zwischen nichtmenschlichen und menschlichen Primaten. In: Stagl J, Reinhard W (Hg) Grenzen des Menschseins—Probleme des Menschlichen. Böhlau, Köln
Weismann A (1902) Sexuelle Selektion. Vorträge über Deszendenztheorie, Gustav Fischer
Wilson EO (1975) Sociobiology: the new synthesis. Harvard University Press, Cambridge
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Dr. Fellmann is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fellmann, F., Walsh, R. Emotional Selection and Human Personality. Biol Theory 8, 64–73 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-013-0093-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-013-0093-3