The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption (Marketing and Consumer Psychology Series)

About “The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption (Marketing and Consumer Psychology Series)”

This scholarly work applies Darwinian principles to understanding human consumption patterns and the products of popular culture that most appeal to individuals. It examines the adaptive reasons behind consumer behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and perceptions, mapping consumption phenomena onto four evolutionary modules: survival, reproduction, kin selection, and reciprocal altruism. The book also treats "dark side" forms of consumption—such as pathological gambling, compulsive buying, pornographic addiction, and eating disorders—as having a Darwinian etiology. It argues that media and advertising content exists in its particular forms because it reflects an evolved human nature rather than shaping it.