The evolutionary psychology of eating disorders

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  • 摂食障害の進化心理学的理解の可能性
  • セッショク ショウガイ ノ シンカ シンリガクテキ リカイ ノ カノウセイ

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Abstract

Evolutionary psychology is an approach to psychology, in which knowledge and principles from evolutionary biology are put to use in research on the structure of the human mind. By applying evolutionary psychology to an understanding of mental disorder, examination of the ultimate factors why its condition and the features have arisen is attained. This article reviews several important evolutionary explanations of eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa (AN), and discusses the possibility of understanding the psychopathology and development of new treatments for eating disor-ders based on evolutionary psychology and evolutionary psychiatry. Three major hypotheses : “the reproductive suppression hypothesis”, “the sexual competition hypothesis”, and “the flee from famine hypothesis” are explained. These evolutionary hypotheses are difficult to confirm, but at least they succeed, to some extent, in accounting for the unusual mix of features found in AN that are otherwise resistant to explanation. For example, long term dietary restriction, female preponderance, hyperactivity despite severe emaciation, and body image distortion. The importance of evolutionary theory to future understanding, and development of new treatments for eating disorders is outlined.

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