The relation between essentialist beliefs and evolutionary reasoning

Shtulman, Andrew; Schulz, Laura

doi:10.1080/03640210801897864

Cited by 214Evolution and Science EducationScience Education and PedagogyPhilosophy and History of Science

The relation between essentialist beliefs and evolutionary reasoning

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Shtulman, Andrew, Schulz, Laura·2008·Cognitive Science

DOI 10.1080/03640210801897864

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Abstract

Historians of science have pointed to essentialist beliefs about species as major impediments to the discovery of natural selection. The present study investigated whether such beliefs are impediments to learning this concept as well. Participants (43 children aged 4-9 and 34 adults) were asked to judge the variability of various behavioral and anatomical properties across different members of the same species. Adults who accepted within-species variation-both actual and potential-were significantly more likely to demonstrate a selection-based understanding of evolution than adults who denied within-species variation. The latter demonstrated an alternative, incorrect understanding of evolution and produced response patterns that were both quantitatively and qualitatively similar to those produced by preschool-aged children. Overall, it is argued that psychological essentialism, although a useful bias for drawing species-wide inductions, leads individuals to devalue within-species variation and, consequently, to fail to understand natural selection.

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Psychological essentialism regularly interferes with a scientifically informed biological understanding.
“Nevertheless, in spite of the obvious adaptive rationality of this cognitive predisposition, 83 psychological essentialism regularly interferes with a scientifically informed biological 84 understanding [27].”
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Authors: Shtulman, A., & Schulz, L.
Affiliations: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
Corresponding author: Shtulman, Andrew
ORCID: Shtulman, Andrew
Schulz, Laura
Venue: Cognitive Science
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2008-09
Volume: 32
Issue: 6
Pages: 1049-1062
ISSN: 0364-0213 (ISSN-L)
1551-6709
DOI: 10.1080/03640210801897864
OpenAlex: W2112404013
Cited by: 214
References: 42
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 13
FWCI: 55.19
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Cognitive Science (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: James S. McDonnell Foundation
Topics: Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Evolution and Science Education
Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
Keywords: psychological essentialism, evolutionary reasoning, natural selection, intraspecific variation, species concept, misconceptions about evolution

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The relation between essentialist beliefs and evolutionary reasoning

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