Sapolsky’s Theory of Evolutionary Psychology

Robert Sapolsky's theory of behavioral biology claims that behind every human action is a biological explanation. The concept centers around the idea that in order to truly understand human behavior, we must study it at all levels — from what happens inside the brain a nano second before a behavior occurred all the way to the time when humans and apes last shared a common ancestor. This is our first video with sound effects — enjoy it on headphones 😊 🎧#learn #evolutionary #psychology

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Introduction to Human Behavioral Biology, by Robert Sapolsky

Robert Sapolsky

Video collaborators:
Script: Jonas Koblin
Drawings: Pascal Gaggelli
Producer: Selina Bador
Voice: Mithril
Sound design: Miguel Ojeda
Coloring: Nalin Fish
Sound design: Miguel Ojeda
Editing: Peera Lertsukittipongsa
Proofreading: Susan Quarm
Production Assistant: Bianka
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[victorguzman]

So far, Sapolsky’s theory is the one that allow us to understand better the origin of our behavior. The guy is brilliant.

[sonalarescot]

I didnt know there was a theory for it! I thought all this was just common sense.

[apersonlikeanyother]

Sapolsky's videos on YouTube taught me more about people than the rest of my life did

[QuidamByMoonlight]

This video didn’t really adequately cover Sapolsky’s views in my opinion. This was essentially a straw man video that oversimplifies his Human Behavioral Biology perspective from his Stanford course, and describes that. It was low key critical while pretending to be objective is my take.

[tommym.]

He is 100 percent on point. Everything you go through and experience in life can affect you. It’s no joke and he explains it in a way that is engaging and pulls you in. Sapolskyism!

[najx]

As much as culture have an impact in our behaviour, It´s surprising how many people often forget (or choose to ignore) that our animal nature can still and in my opinion mostly is a variable for explaining so many behaviours, which makes them much more difficult to change.

[alieninthecaribbean]

Most people hate nuanced and complex answers. They want simple black and white dichotomies and our culture and education continue to feed into the laziness or simple hero or villain narratives.

[PAVLAKOS]

I believe the theory is correct. It is almost impossible to understand human behaviour due to the infinite factors, present and past, that contribute to the result. However we might get some results by using some data that might be of greater impact than other in the resulting behaviour.

[tw]

"We are complicated. So you better be really sure, really careful and cautious before you decide you understand why somebody did something, especially if that is something you are judging harshly"

[BrandonHortman]

I love him. Dr. Sapolsky is an absolute treasure

[polarbianarchy]

And we can use this to realize we construct the environment that then our nervous systems develop in. And apply science to build more mutually sustainable and secure communities, together

[PakBudiTarigan]

This is the best theory until now. I really satisfied by his theory

[dspondike]

Robert Sapolsky is an organism in space-time that brings together a confluence of information that is remarkably rich and informative, if not unique. The sheer amount of research and experience coming together is a human anomaly. There are hundreds if not thousands of spandrels of exploration to follow in any one of his collected works. Highly recommended reading.

I am a simple human when I see Robert Sapolsky Name I click Like!

[angelinarobert]

i view people as a mix bag of emotions, and emotions come in gradients not just binary of positive and negative emotions. Each emotion serves a purpose and helped our ancestors survive and reproduce. We are just a link in the ever changing evolutionary chain. So i agree with Robert Sapolsky's theory. it's like life is an a chemical reaction that keeps on going and going. like the Energizer Bunny.

[matthewgarvin]

Sapolsky argues against the use of terminology referring to "wiring". Because we are not hard-wired for specific behaviors. This is where most evolutionary psychology goes wrong. They try to generate findings on human adaptedness, rather than exploring human adaptability. Notably absent from this summary of Sapolsky is his emphasis on propensity rather than hard-wiring. We are not naturally violent or greedy or anything in particular, but these propensities emerge when the factors described in the video come into alignment.

Our social and cultural institutions have a lot to do with the ubiquity with which some propensities seem to emerge. So if, for example, you believe that humans are naturally greedy and that an economic system such as capitalism is the best way to leverage humanity's greedy nature, you can find numerous examples of greed everywhere you look, because the very environment has been carefully designed to exploit that propensity.

[Larry]

Sapolsky revealed the truth which is too complex to use at a detail level, so to function we can only invent practical shortcuts that work nearly all of the time.

[rajendran.s]

I'm the first one here!
Always like your

[jona_KardCiv]

Trying to explain the behavior of a single individual misses the point. Society is a herd of dumb animals that respond to stimuli.

[bradsillasen]

Dang, after watching his whole Stanford neurobiology lecture series I coulda just watched this ;-) Nah, good to get down in the weeds. But this is a really nice summary IMO, thanks:) I wonder what Sapolsky would say about it?