Overview

In this highly informative and entertaining book, the founder of the vibrant new field of evolutionary consumption illuminates the relevance of our biological heritage to our daily lives as consumers. While culture is important, the author shows that innate evolutionary forces deeply influence the foods we eat, the gifts we offer, the cosmetics and clothing styles we choose to make ourselves more attractive to potential mates, and even the cultural products that stimulate our imaginations (such as art, music, and religion). The book demonstrates that most acts of consumption can be mapped onto four key Darwinian drives--namely, survival (we prefer foods high in calories); reproduction (we use products as sexual signals); kin selection (we naturally exchange gifts with family members); and reciprocal altruism (we enjoy offering gifts to close friends). The author further highlights the analogous behaviors that exist between human consumers and a wide range of animals. For anyone interested in the biological basis of human behavior or simply in what makes consumers tick--marketing professionals, advertisers, psychology mavens, and consumers themselves--this is a fascinating listen.

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"David M. Buss, one of the founders of the field of evolutionary psychology, is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches courses in evolutionary psychology and the psychology of human mating. He is the author of several books, including The Evolution of Desire, Evolutionary Psychology, and The Dangerous Passion. His and Cindy M. Meston's article ""Why Humans Have Sex"" garnered international attention when it was published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. David M. Buss, one of the founders of the field of evolutionary psychology, is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches courses in evolutionary psychology and the psychology of human mating. He is the author of several books, including The Evolution of Desire, Evolutionary Psychology, and The Dangerous Passion. His and Cindy M. Meston's article ""Why Humans Have Sex"" garnered international attention when it was published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. Matthew Josdal is a voice-over and theater artist who has narrated titles in a wide range of genres, including historical nonfiction and contemporary fantasy. Originally from a small town in southwest Saskatchewan, he obtained his BFA in drama from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, where he currently resides. Gad Saad, a popular blogger for Psychology Today (Homo Consumericus), is a professor of marketing at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. He holds the Concordia University Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption and is the author of The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption, plus numerous scientific papers."

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