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Evolutionary psychology and rational-emotive theory: Time to open the floodgates

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Abstract

Main tenets, issues, and controversies for evolutionary psychology (EP), particularly its cognitive aspects, are introduced, clarified, and applied to the theory and philosophy of rational-emotive therapy (RET). Specifically, key concepts in EP are applied to Ellis' genetic postulate for cognitive demandingness and grandiosity, and are incorporated into Ruth's (1992) RET evolutionary proposal. The following issues are examined for demanding and grandiose thinking: nature (genetic) vs. nurture (learned), plasticity vs. unmodifiability, acquisition ease and modification-elimination difficulty, natural inseparability of cognition and emotion, natural inseparability of cognitive content and process, social selection pressures and the human psyche, competitive individualism vs. natural self-interest, evolutionary counter-balancing and false mutually exclusive dichotomies, epigenetic rules and Darwinian algorithms, current adaptions vs. ancestral remnants, child and adult adaption, Darwinism vs. Lamarckism, and ethical considerations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy, New York City

    William J. Ruth

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  1. William J. Ruth
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William J. Ruth, Ph.D., Staff Psychologist and Practicum Supervisor. School Psychologist

Private Practice and Independent Research, Hartsdale, NY.

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Ruth, W.J. Evolutionary psychology and rational-emotive theory: Time to open the floodgates. J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther 11, 235–248 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01089778

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