From Steven Hayward at Powerline: … this article actually appears in the current issue of Evolutionary Psychological Science:
Duration of Cunnilingus Predicts Estimated Ejaculate Volume in Humans: a Content Analysis of Pornography
Abstract
Humans perform copulatory behaviors that do not contribute directly to reproduction (e.g., cunnilingus, prolonged copulation). We conducted a content analysis of pornography to investigate whether such behaviors might contribute indirectly to reproduction by influencing ejaculate volume—an indicator of ejaculate quality. We coded 100 professional pornography scenes depicting the same male actor copulating with 100 different females, affording control for between-male differences in estimated ejaculate volume. … (public access)
Hayward:
A few observations. First, it sounds like a fancy excuse for a bunch of pervs to watch a lot of porn under the guise of “science,” along the way proving there’s no subject that academics can’t ruin for everyone. … Fourth, like most scientific findings, doesn’t this study need to be replicated? (Good news for college fraternities everywhere, not to mention the unemployed Anthony Weiner.) Can we please have the full list of titles that were viewed? More.
We’re not surprised. Social sciences are mostly nonsense anyway. Evolutionary psychology is the most nonsensical of the lot because it is a discipline without a subject. There are no early humans to study, and just about everything published is based on unfalsifiable nonsense using the preoccupations of modern Western society and the terminology of evolutionary biology.
Evo psych also accounts for anger over trivial matters (it was once key to our survival), dreams (they increase reproductive fitness), false memories, (there might be a tiger in that tall grass…), menopause (men pursuing younger women), monogamy (control of females or else infanticide prevention — of one’s own children only), music (to ward off danger), premenstrual syndrome (breaks up infertile relationships), romantic love (not an emotion, rather a hardwired drive to reproduce), rumination on hurt feelings (our brains evolved to learn quickly from bad experiences but slowly from the good ones), smiling (earlier, a cringe reaction), and wonder at the universe (explained by how early man lived).
It feels like emptying Darwin’s wastebasket.
Actually, we hear less about evo psych these days from the pop science media; fading interest may account for the Springer article noted above. It’ll get shares, tweets, ink.
See also: “The evolutionary psychologist knows why you vote — and shop, and tip at restaurants”
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