Peer Review

Center for Evolutionary Psychology

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 30, 2011 by Psychology

Bookmark

Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This is the site for "one of the largest and most active communities of researchers in evolutionary psychology and allied disciplines in the world." It's primary goal is "to provide support for research and comprehensive training in this area, and to facilitate multidisciplinary and multi-university collaboration." For students interested in studying evolutionary psychology or considering pursuing this course of study, the site is an excellent collection of materials providing information on the basics of evolutionary psychology, where to acquire more information on evolutionary psychology and where one might study.
Type of Material:: This site is a collection of resources and materials.
Recommended Uses:: This site primarily serves as an introduction to the field and a touchstone for continuing study of evolutionary psychology. The site itself does not go in depth on many issues of evolutionary psychology, but instead provides a wealth of links to additional research and information. As such, an interested student should frequently revisit the site to read recent issues and topics in the field.
Technical Requirements:: None.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The primary goal of this site is to provide resources for researchers interested in the field of evolutionary psychology. Current research topics are highlighted and controversies within the field are discussed.
Target Student Population:: Upper level undergraduate students considering a career in evolutionary psychology and graduate students already involved in the field.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Students should have reasonable knowledge in psychology, biology, ethology or anthropology. More knowledge in evolutionary studies would be aid with getting the most out of the site.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The site provides an excellent introduction to evolutionary psychology, links to a large quantity of high quality articles and discusses current topics in the field. The materials reflect the work of some of the major researchers in the EP field. Several EP research topics are presented with supporting narrative and resources, including links to many original sources. A separate section, called "The Critical Eye," addresses current controversies in the field. Other links are provided for places to study EP and related disciplines.
Concerns:: Some sections present a large amount of text without dividing the text into navigable subsections. This can make locating a specific topic more challenging. Many of the materials are primarily research-based, and are therefore highly technical and advanced.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: For students or instructors with a research interest or agenda, the site provides a wealth of useful materials. "The Critical Eye" section is an excellent resource for considering the debates and controversies that have arisen in the EP field. In addition to providing a good introduction to the study of evolutionary psychology, the site also addresses public criticisms of the field and presents articles on current topics.
Concerns:: Many of the issues covered are rather technical issues, likely to be of interest primarily to researchers in the area. There are no learning exercises that can be readily adapted for classroom use. It would be nice if there were additional materials that were designed for instructor use. Also, the site does not employ a means to foster discussion amongst its readers.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is well-organized and easy to navigate. It is easy to locate topics of interest on the site and the front page provides a summary of recent news and updates.
Concerns:: The site would benefit from linked subsections within some materials to aid the user in locating a specific subject of interest.

Other Issues and Comments:: Instructors interested in highlighting cutting-edge research are likely to find much here. However, the site if not organized in a way that faciliates the creation of learning objects or assignments that can be easily incorporated into one's courses.
Creative Commons: