Includes bibliographical references (pages 295-362) and indexes.

1. Vulnerability -- The Value Added by an Evolutionary Perspective -- Nonhuman Vulnerabilities -- Human Vulnerabilities -- Conclusion -- 2. Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Vulnerability -- Sexual Selection -- Compete for or Choose Among Mates? -- Rate of Reproduction -- Operational Sex Ratio -- Male-Male Competition --Physical Competition -- Behavioral Competition -- Brain and Cognitive Competition -- Female Choice -- Female-Female Competition and Male Choice -- Reversed Sex Roles -- Female-Female Competition and Social Selection -- Male Choice -- Expression of Condition-Dependent Traits -- Genetic Variance and Inbreeding Depression -- Parasites and Immunocompetence -- Nutritional and Social Stressors --Toxins -- Conclusion -- 3. Condition-Dependent Traits in Birds and Fish -- Birds -- Organization of Reviews-- Physical Traits -- Color -- Size -- Behavioral Traits -- Takeaway Message -- Brain and Cognitive Traits --Takeaway Message -- Fish -- Physical Traits -- Color -- Size -- Behavioral Traits -- Conclusion -- 4. Condition-Dependent Traits in Arthropods and Mammals -- Arthropods -- Physical Traits -- Color -- Size --Behavioral Traits -- Mammals -- Physical Traits -- Color -- Size -- Behavioral Traits -- Scent -- Behavior -- Brain and Cognitive Traits -- Conclusion -- 5. Sexual Selection and Human Vulnerability --Vulnerability in Boys and Men -- Physical Traits -- Behavioral Traits -- Brain and Cognitive Traits -- Folk Psychology -- Folk Physics -- Brain -- Vulnerability in Girls and Women -- Physical Traits -- Behavioral Traits -- Brain and Cognitive Traits -- Decoding Nonverbal Behavior and Facial Expressions-- Language -- Theory of Mind and Person -- Schema -- Brain --Conclusion -- 6. Human Vulnerability for Physical and Behavioral Traits --Physical Vulnerabilities -- Skeletal Development -- Height -- Pelvic Development -- Muscle Mass and Fat Reserves -- Physical Fitness and Activity -- Facial Features and Skin Attractiveness-- Scent and Health -- Behavioral Vulnerabilities -- Children's Play -- Social Behavior -- Social Signals -- Risk Taking and Emotional Composure --Conclusion -- 7. Human Vulnerability for Brain and Cognitive Traits -- Cognitive Vulnerabilities --Folk Psychology --Theory of Mind and Emotion Recognition -- Language -- Folk Physics -- Natural Stressors -- Toxins -- Testosterone and Antiandrogen Therapy -- Brain vulnerabilities-- Threat Detection and Emotion Regulation-- Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Trauma -- Men's Condition-Dependent Hippocampus -- Conclusion -- 8. Implications for Human Health and Development -- Defining and Assessing Well-being and Vulnerability-- Assessing Vulnerability in Preschool Children -- Assessing Vulnerability in School-Age Children and Adolescents -- Assessing Vulnerability in Adults-- Defining Stressors -- Are All Natural Stressors Equal? -- Toxins --Conclusion.

Biologists have known for decades that many traits involved in competition for mates or other resources and that influence mate choice are exaggerated, and their expression is influenced by the individuals' ability to tolerate a variety of environmental and social stressors. Evolution of Vulnerability applies this concept of heightened sensitivity to humans for a host of physical, social, psychological, cognitive, and brain traits. By reframing the issue entirely, renowned evolutionary psychologist David C. Geary demonstrates this principle can be used to identify children, adolescents, or populations at risk for poor long-term outcomes and identify specific traits in each sex and at different points in development that are most easily disrupted by exposure to stressors. Evolution of Vulnerability begins by reviewing the expansive literature on traits predicted to show sex-specific sensitivity to environmental and social stressors, and details the implications for better assessing and understanding the consequences of exposure to these stressors.

Print version record.