• Of Academics, Publishers and Journalists: Popular Evolutionary Psychology in the UK

    Author(s):
    Angela Cassidy (see profile)
    Date:
    2003
    Subject(s):
    Mass media--Study and teaching, Science--Social aspects, Popular culture, Science in popular culture, Science--Study and teaching, Technology--Study and teaching
    Item Type:
    Thesis
    Institution:
    School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Edinburgh
    Tag(s):
    Evolutionary Psychology, science communication, Media studies, Science and popular culture, Science and technology studies (STS)
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/6w93-a319
    Abstract:
    Evolutionary psychology (EP) is an emerging area of research, mostly located in the social sciences, which stresses the importance of, and seeks to investigate further, the evolutionary origins of modern human psychology and behaviour. Over the 1990s, claims made by evolutionary psychologists were extensively debated on a popular level in the UK, particularly through the publication of ‘popular science’ books on the subject, and by the appearance of many academics in the mass media discussing the issues raised. In such discussions, evolutionary psychology claims were often closely related to discussions of sexual politics, differences between men and women, and changes in workplace and family roles. Other subjects interlinked with evolutionary psychology in the media included concerns over biological determinism, developments in genetics, biotechnology and neurobiology, and changes in the political landscape during the 1990s. This research is a case study of these popular debates, looking at the UK press and other media coverage of evolutionary psychology from 1990 until 2001. I have carried out quantitative (including content) analyses of the press, and qualitative analyses of wider media coverage, alongside in-depth interviews with academic and media actors involved in popular evolutionary psychology.
    Notes:
    PhD completed 2003; awarded 2004
    Metadata:
    xml
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    5 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved

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