Which psychological perspective studies the impact of natural selection on behavior?

The evolutionary perspective focuses on understanding how evolutionary processes, particularly natural selection, shape behavior and mental processes. It posits that certain behaviors and psychological traits have been passed down through generations because they offer adaptive advantages that enhance survival and reproduction. This perspective examines both innate and learned behaviors through the lens of evolutionary theory, suggesting that many human behaviors can be understood as adaptations to our environment that have developed over time.

In contrast, the psychoanalytic perspective, founded by Freud, emphasizes unconscious processes and childhood experiences, looking at how they influence behavior rather than evolutionary factors. The cognitive perspective focuses on internal mental processes such as thinking, memory, and problem-solving, without directly considering natural selection. The behavioral perspective studies observable behaviors and the ways they are learned through interaction with the environment, which does not inherently include an evolutionary framework. Thus, the evolutionary perspective uniquely addresses how natural selection has influenced behavior, making it the correct answer in this context.