Which statement best characterizes the evolutionary perspective of psychology?

• A. It explains mental processes by examining the structure and function of the brain's neural circuits.
• B. It is mainly concerned with how environmental stimuli shape observable behavior through learning.
• C. It emphasizes how psychological traits and behaviors have evolved to solve adaptive problems faced by our ancestors.
• D. It focuses primarily on unconscious motives and childhood experiences as determinants of behavior.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that the evolutionary perspective in psychology focuses on how psychological traits and behaviors have developed over time through the process of natural selection.
2. Step 2: Recognize that this perspective explains behaviors and mental processes by considering how they may have helped our ancestors survive and reproduce in their environments.
3. Step 3: Compare the given statements to see which aligns with this focus on adaptation and evolutionary history rather than brain structure, learning, or unconscious motives.
4. Step 4: Identify that the statement emphasizing psychological traits and behaviors evolving to solve adaptive problems best captures the essence of the evolutionary perspective.
5. Step 5: Conclude that this perspective is distinct because it links current psychological functions to their evolutionary origins and survival value.