Chapter 6: ‘Disordered’ Minds and Mismatch Theory
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to
- Use anthropomorphism effectively as a tool.
- Outline the main points of mismatch theory.
- Restate mental “disorders” as traits within an evolutionary framework.
- Recognize the role of emotional contagion in the health and safety of a social group.
Chapter Introduction
Like any other physiological trait, emotions exist on an evolutionary continuum. Because of this, we can seek to understand human emotion by paying attention to the emotional expressions of other species.
This is particularly true for the great apes, to whom we most closely relate. It is also true for many domesticated species, including the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), with whom we have spent at least 20,000 years or more. In fact, we may have selected dogs for emotional display during the process of domestication, as the muscles necessary for emotional facial expressions (e.g., “puppy dog eyes”) are consistently present in dogs, but not in wolves.
In this chapter, we consider the physiological systems behind emotional expression; define anthropomorphism and consider its value as a tool in the study of emotional evolution; and unpack the adaptive value of “catching” others’ emotions.
We then conclude with a discussion of the role of play and joy contagion in the apes.
the (mis)attribution of human like traits and characteristics to other species - especially those of the cognitive and emotional type.
