Which perspective in psychology focuses on innate drives related to survival and reproduction?

The evolutionary perspective in psychology emphasizes the role of innate drives and instincts that are crucial for survival and reproduction. This approach is grounded in Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, which posits that behaviors and traits that enhance an individual's chance of survival and successful reproduction are likely to be passed on to future generations.

By understanding human behavior through this lens, psychologists can explore how certain characteristics or behaviors evolved to solve problems related to survival, such as finding food, escaping predators, and attracting mates. For example, parenting behaviors can be examined through this perspective, as they contribute to the survival of offspring, which in turn ensures the continuation of genetic material.

This perspective also examines how social behaviors, mate selection, and group dynamics can be explained by the evolutionary pressures faced by our ancestors, illustrating that our current behaviors may still be influenced by these ancient instincts.

In contrast, the other perspectives provide different explanations for human behavior. The humanistic perspective focuses on personal growth and self-actualization, the behavioral perspective emphasizes learned behaviors through interaction with the environment, and the cognitive perspective centers on mental processes like thinking and memory. Each perspective offers valuable insights but does not specifically address the innate drives connected to survival and reproduction in the way that the evolutionary perspective does.