Evolutionary Psychiatry : A New Beginning

A comprehensive introduction to the new science of Darwinian Psychiatry, this second edition includes important fresh material on a number of disorders, along with and an entirely new chapter on research. Anthony Stevens and John Price argue that psychiatric symptoms are manifestations of ancient adaptive strategies which are no longer necessarily appropriate but which can best be understood and treated in an evolutionary and developmental context. Particularly important are the theories Stevens and Price propose to account for the worldwide existence of mood disorders and schizophrenia, as well as offering solutions for such puzzles as paedophilia, sadomasochism and the function of dreams.