This course examines the application of evolutionary theory to understand human behaviour.

It provides a primer on the basic principles related to the evolution of behaviour, and surveys the various frameworks that have been employed by anthropologists, psychologists, biologists, and others in this pursuit. The strengths and weaknesses of these frameworks—which include human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, and various cultural evolutionary approaches—are addressed in a critical manner with the aim of establishing an integrated approach that borrows the best from each. A wide range of case studies will be used to illustrate the application of these principles. Topics include conflict and cooperation, foraging and resource use, mating and parenting, life history and fertility, and the individual in society. Some attention will be paid to the history of the evolutionary study of human behaviour, including the nature-nurture debate and the “sociobiology controversy.”

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon Successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Master basic principles at an advanced level related to the evolution of behavior, the various frameworks used to study the evolution of human behavior.
   
2. Discuss the history and controversies in the development of an evolutionary approach to the study of human behavior.
   
3. Prepare and develop a critical perspective on an independent study topic related to the evolution of human behavior.
   
4. Explain a topic or argument in the field orally using a selective case study approach.
   
5. Synthesize material from a range of cutting-edge and classic scholarly sources relevant to a topic or argument in the field balancing general argument and evidence.

Research-Led Teaching

The assessments for this class include an independent research project, using a cross-cultural dataset to test hypotheses about human behaviour. You will propose a research problem and submit a polished research report. In addition, the lecturer will provide examples of his own research in lecture.

Recommended Resources

READINGS

About the Readings:

The schedule for readings the course’s required readings is listed above in the Course Schedule. You should read the week’s readings prior to attending class that week. Each of these readings is available for free on the course Wattle page. You may print one copy and save one copy to your computer or other device. You may not distribute them or use them for other purposes.

You are also required to independently acquire and read articles to serve as references for your Term Paper. You should start that process as soon as possible. See the Research Report Guide for more information.

Bibliography of Required Readings:

• Alvard MS (1998). Evolutionary ecology and resource conservation. Evolutionary Anthropology, 7, 62-74.
• Apicella, C. L., & Silk, J. B. (2019). The evolution of human cooperation. Current Biology, 29(11), R447-R450.
• Arnot M, Brandl E, Campbell OLK, Chen Y, Du J, Dyble M, Emmott EH, Ge E, Kretschmer LDW, Mace R, et al (2020). How evolutionary behavioural sciences can help us understand behaviour in a pandemic. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 2020, 264-278.
• Benyshek DC, Watson JT (2006). Exploring the thrifty genotype's food-shortage assumptions: A cross-cultural comparison of ethnographic accounts of food security among foraging and agricultural societies. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 131(1), 120-126.
• Bergstrom C, Dugatkin L (2016). Evolution (2E). NY: WW Norton. Ch 3 “Natural Selection” (pp. 65-108).
• Boyd R, Richerson PJ (2009). Culture and the evolution of human cooperation. Phil Trans Royal Soc B, 364, 3281-3288.
• Cronk L (1999). Gethenian nature, human nature, and the nature of reproduction: A fantastic flight through ethnographic hypterspace. In Cooke B, Turner F (eds.), Biopoetics (pp. 205-218). Lexington, KY: ICUS Books.
• Davies N, Krebs J, West S (2012). An introduction to behavioural ecology (4E). NY: Blackwell. Chapter 2 “Testing Evolutionary Hypotheses” (pp. 24-51).
• Gross, M. (2019). Uncovering the roots of religion. Current Biology, 29, R426-R429.
• Henrich K, McElreath R (2003). The evolution of cultural evolution. Evolutionary Anthropology, 12, 123-135.
• Kushnick G, Hanowell B, Kim JH, Langstieh B, Magnano V, Oláh K (2015). Experimental evidence for convergent evolution of maternal care heuristics in industrialized and small-scale populations. Royal Soc Open Sci, 2, 140518.
• Laland K, Brown G (2011). Sense and nonsense (2E). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ch 2 “A history of evolution and human behaviour” (pp. 19-48).
• Layton R (2010). Why social scientists don’t like Darwin and what can be done about it. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 8(2), 139-152.
• Mesoudi A, Chang L, Dall SRX, Thornton A (2016). The evolution of individual and cultural variation in social learning. Trends Ecol Evol, 31(3), 215-225.
• Moya C, Cruz y Celis Peniche P, Kline MA, Smaldino PE (2020). Dynamics of behavior change in the COVID world. Am J Hum Biol, 32: e23485.
• Nettle D (2010). Dying young and living fast: variation in life history across English neighborhoods. Behavioral Ecology, 21(2), 387-395.
• Puts, D. (2016). Human sexual selection. Current Opinion in Psychology, 7, 28-32.
• Sear, R. (2016). Beyond the nuclear family: an evolutionary perspective on parenting. Current Opinion in Psychology, 7, 98-103.
• Sear R, Lawson DW, Kaplan H, Shenk MK (2016). Understanding variation in human fertility: what can we learn from evolutionary demography? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 371(1692), 20150144.
• Seitz BM, Aktipis A, Buss DM, Alcock J, Bloom P, Gelfand, et al (2020). The pandemic exposes human nature: 10 evolutionary insights. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(45), 27767-76.
• Slocombe, K. E., & Seed, A. M. (2019). Cooperation in children. Current Biology, 29(11), R470-R473.
• Smith EA (2000). Three styles in the evolutionary analysis of human behavior. In Cronk L, Irons W (eds.), Human behavior and adaptation: an anthropological perspective (pp. 27-46). Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter.
• White DR (2007). Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. In International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (2E, pp. 88-95). NY: Macmillan Reference.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Group feedback and marks on Online 1 and 2.
• Group feedback on tutorial activities.
• Individualized written comments on Short Essay, Problem Statement, and Final Essay delivered via Turnitin.
• Individualized verbal feedback during regularly scheduled office hours (optional).

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Topic: Introduction Readings: Cronk 1999; Layton 2010
2	Topic: One Size Does Not Fit All: Three Styles in the Human Evolutionary Behavioural Sciences Readings: Bateson & Laland 2013; Smith 2000
3	Topic: Controversies in the History and Development of Human Evolutionary Behavioural Sciences Readings: Laland & Brown 2011; White 2007
4	Topic: Natural Selection and Some Other Basic Principles Readings: Davies et al 2012; Bergstrom & Dugatkin 2016
5	Topic: What About Culture? Readings: Henrich & McElreath 2003; Mesoudi et al 2016
6	Topic: Can Applied Human Evolutionary Behavioural Sciences Help Us To Understand the COVID Pandemic? Readings: Moya et al 2020; Arnot et al 2020; Seitz et al 2020	Online Exam 1
7	Topic: Productive Strategies: Resources and Foraging Readings: Alvard 1998; Benyshek & Watson 2006; Venkataraman et al 2017	Problem Statement
8	Topic: Reproductive Strategies: Mating and Parenting Readings: Kushnick et al 2015; Puts 2016; Sear 2016
9	Topic: Life in the Fast Lane, or Slow and Steady Wins the Race? Readings: Kushnick et al 2015; Low 1990; Puts 2010
10	Topic: Life History and Fertility Readings: Nettle 2010; Sear et al 2016
11	Topic: Survival of the Fittest, or Nice Guys Finish First? Readings: Apicella & Silk 2019; Boyd & Richerson 2009; Slocombe & Seed 2019
12	Topic: Wrapping it Up Readings: Gross 2019; Curtin et al 2020	Online Exam 2
13	After the Semester Wraps	Final Essay

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Online Exam 1	25 %	01/04/2022	1, 2
Online Exam 2	25 %	27/05/2022	1,2
Tutorial Participation	10 %	*	1
Problem Statement	10 %	22/04/2022	3,4
Final Essay	30 %	03/06/2022	3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Participation is included as an assessment item (more details above).

Assessment Task 1

Online Exam 1

There will be two online exams.

The exams will be done online on the course Wattle site. You may start the exam anytime between 12 and 2pm on the exam date and you will have 1 hour to complete it. The 'window' for the exam is from 12-3pm, but if you start later than 2pm you will have less than an hour to finish.

The exams are open note, but not open discussion. That is, you may not discuss class materials, or anything related to the exam with your classmates, family, or friends during the quiz window. Breaches will result in a grade of 0 for the exam.

The exam will be mixed format, which may include multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill in the blanks, and short answer. You may be required to write a few sentences to answer a question, but there will be no full-blown essay questions.

The material on the exams is not cumulative. The first exam covers material from lectures, tutorials, and readings in the first half of class. The second exam covers material from lectures, tutorials, and readings in the second half of class. With that said, the material from the second half builds on the material from the first half, so it is important to understand the first half material to do well on the second exam.

Rescheduled or makeup quizzes will only be offered under the most serious circumstances, and at the discretion of the course convener. If you have a timetable clash for tutorial, you may be allowed to have your exam window shifted (but only enough to accommodate the clash), but you must arrange this at least exam days before the quiz and you must provide documentation.

Each quiz will be marked out of 100 converted to 25% of your course grade for each quiz (50% total). Your marks on the quiz will be determined by the number of questions you get correct.

Assessment Task 2

Online Exam 2

There will be two online exams.

The exams will be done online on the course Wattle site. You may start the exam anytime between 12 and 2pm on the exam date and you will have 1 hour to complete it. The 'window' for the exam is from 12-3pm, but if you start later than 2pm you will have less than an hour to finish.

The exams are open note, but not open discussion. That is, you may not discuss class materials, or anything related to the exam with your classmates, family, or friends during the quiz window. Breaches will result in a grade of 0 for the exam.

The exam will be mixed format, which may include multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill in the blanks, and short answer. You may be required to write a few sentences to answer a question, but there will be no full-blown essay questions.

The material on the exams is not cumulative. The first exam covers material from lectures, tutorials, and readings in the first half of class. The second exam covers material from lectures, tutorials, and readings in the second half of class. With that said, the material from the second half builds on the material from the first half, so it is important to understand the first half material to do well on the second exam.

Rescheduled or makeup quizzes will only be offered under the most serious circumstances, and at the discretion of the course convener. If you have a timetable clash for tutorial, you may be allowed to have your exam window shifted (but only enough to accommodate the clash), but you must arrange this at least exam days before the quiz and you must provide documentation.

Each quiz will be marked out of 100 converted to 25% of your course grade for each quiz (50% total). Your marks on the quiz will be determined by the number of questions you get correct.

Assessment Task 3

Tutorial Participation

Most tutorials will include an activity that should be completed and uploaded to the Wattle submission portal by Friday at 5pm.

Tutorials will include an activity that should be completed during the tutorial itself or, if you are participating from a distance or via the recorded tutorial sessions, at some time following the normal scheduled time. Regardless of participation method, you must submit your tutorial participation worksheet vis the Wattle submission portal by 5pm on Friday of that week.

Each tutorial activity will be worth 2 points, marked as follows:

• Good effort to participate in a quality way (2 pts)
• You could have put in a better effort to participate (1 pt)
• You did not participate (0 pts)

Your total marks will then be converted to 10% of the course grade.

Assessment Task 4

Problem Statement

Length: One side of one sheet of A4 paper

The Problem Statement, as well as the Final Essay, is related to a research project you will do over the course of the semester, using the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS) to test an evolutionary-based hypothesis (or hypotheses). You will have access to a detailed guide, the ‘Research Report Guide’, that will provide details about choosing a topic, structuring your essays, and citing references, among other things. We will work together to develop the skills necessary to do the project, but you will work independently to develop and test your hypotheses and write a report on your investigation.

The Problem Statement is a brief essay that describes the hypotheses you intend to test, what variables you will use to test them, and what references you have consulted up to that point. It will be a formative part of developing your research, and you will get formative feedback that will help guide your progress. More details about specific requirements are included in the ‘Research Report Guide’.

The Problem Statement will be marked out of 100 based on the following criteria:

• Quality of the hypotheses and variable choices—whether they fit with the theme of the course, whether they are feasible, and whether they reflect high-level critical thinking.
• Quality of the writing—whether it is free from grammatical, stylistic, and other writing errors.
• Quality of the references.
• Adherence to instructions.

Assessment Task 5

Final Essay

Length: For undergraduates enrolled in BIAN 3124, the length should be 3,000 words excluding references, tables, and figures. For postgraduates enrolled in BIAN 6124, the length should be 4,000 words excluding references tables, and figures.

The Final Essay, as well the Problem Statement, is related to a research project you will do over the course of the semester, using the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS) to test an evolutionary-based hypothesis (or hypotheses). You will have access to a detailed guide, the ‘Research Report Guide’, that will provide details about choosing a topic, structuring your essays, and citing references, among other things. We will work together to develop the skills necessary to do the project, but you will work independently to develop and test your hypotheses and write a report on your investigation.

The Final Essay is a detailed research report structured in IMRD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) format. More details about specific requirements are included in the ‘Research Report Guide’.

The Final Essay will be marked out of 100 based on the following criteria:

• Quality of the report’s introduction and discussion, and hypotheses and analysis (in the methods and results), evidenced by a research report that reflects high-level critical thinking, clear understanding of the course’s principles, and the extent to which you have acted on feedback.
• Quality of the writing—whether it is free from grammatical, stylistic, and other writing errors.
• Quality of the references.
• Adherence to instructions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

All assessments are “returned” via Turnitin. That is, your mark and feedback for each assignment will be entered into Turnitin. When the marked assessments are released, you will be able to see your mark and feedback in Turnitin. The approximate dates for the return of assessments is included in the Course Overview section of this outline. 

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission is not allowed. 

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students