This assignment is designed to assess your ability to consider the multidisciplinary evidence for
schizophrenia being an evolved adaptation. In the first 2 lectures we consider the fundamental basics of
evolutionary theory. You must demonstrate your understanding of these in relation to the essay question. In
week 3 the lecture considers the methods used by evolutionary psychologists to develop an argument in
relation to a psychological phenomenon being an adaptation. You will need to use several of these areas of
evidence to build up your argument. The following are some of the areas of evidence you could consider
for this essay (although some of them may be not be relevant) and you should use these areas of evidence
as subheadings in your essay:
• Genetic and other biological evidence
• Cross-cultural evidence
• Theoretical evidence
• Comparative evidence
• Archaeological evidence
• Psychological evidence
Your essay should start with an introduction to the topic then consider no more than 3 areas of evidence
and then end with a conclusion that answers the essay question.
you are expected to go into some depth when discussing the evidence and to critically evaluate the
evidence in terms of the essay question. You should also provide a balanced essay and provide evidence
that both supports and refutes the essay question.