When we decide whether to take out insurance, which dessert to choose in a cafe, or which dress from the new collection to buy, can we unambiguously say what drives us?
Evolutionary psychologist Douglas Kenrick and psychologist Vladas Grishkevichus offer an explanation: our motivations are subject to different evolutionary needs that our ancestors formed. For each need, a certain “subpersonality” is responsible, which is activated under the influence of stimuli.
It is not easy to figure out which one is “speaking” at the moment. If we decide to buy a bike (even though we usually ride a car), we may be intimidated by a friend’s story about an accident, we want to emphasize our progressive views, or we want to impress an environmentally passionate colleague. The authors hope that their ideas will help us better understand the causes of our behavior and resist those who are trying to manipulate us.
Peter, 304 p.