cognition and behavior to close and ingroup relationships. Conclusion Humans are social animals, with brains designed by evolutionary processes to manage different kinds of relationships and the distinct challenges and opportunities these types of relationships afford. We have reviewed a small portion of the literature touching upon an evolutionary approach to relationship science. The contributions of the evolutionary approach to this point are clear—in terms of novel hypotheses generated and tested, new phenomena discovered, and a wide range of findings that are better integrated. Its future promise is also clear. It highlights the importance of appreciating from the start that different types of relationships are likely to be processed and managed by somewhat distinct psychological systems, and of conceptualizing relationships in terms of their relevance to fundamental social goals and their ultimate evolutionary functions. It provides a natural framework for linking the psychological and behavioral to the physiological and genetic on the one hand, and to the ecological and cultural on the other. And it provides a way of bridging research on relationships not only to other areas of psychology, but also to our neighboring social and biological sciences. References Ackerman, J., & Kenrick, D.T. (2009). Cooperative courtship: Helping friends raise and raze relationship barriers: How men and women cooperate in courtship. Personality & Social 1285-1300. Psychology Bulletin, 35, Ackerman, J. M., Kenrick, D. T., & Schaller, M. (2007). Is friendship akin to kinship? Evolution 365 374. and Human Behavior, 28, –
cognition and behavior to close and ingroup relationships. Conclusion Humans are social animals, with brains designed by evolutionary processes to manage different kinds of relationships and the distinct challenges and opportunities these types of relationships afford. We have reviewed a small portion of the literature touching upon an evolutionary approach to relationship science. The contributions of the evolutionary approach to this point are clear—in terms of novel hypotheses generated and tested, new phenomena discovered, and a wide range of findings that are better integrated. Its future promise is also clear. It highlights the importance of appreciating from the start that different types of relationships are likely to be processed and managed by somewhat distinct psychological systems, and of conceptualizing relationships in terms of their relevance to fundamental social goals and their ultimate evolutionary functions. It provides a natural framework for linking the psychological and behavioral to the physiological and genetic on the one hand, and to the ecological and cultural on the other. And it provides a way of bridging research on relationships not only to other areas of psychology, but also to our neighboring social and biological sciences. References Ackerman, J., & Kenrick, D.T. (2009). Cooperative courtship: Helping friends raise and raze relationship barriers: How men and women cooperate in courtship. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1285-1300. Ackerman, J. M., Kenrick, D. T., & Schaller, M. (2007). Is friendship akin to kinship? Evolution and Human Behavior, 28, 365 – 374.