A framework for integrating evolutionary and feminist perspectives in psychological research

There is growing interest in a feminist perspective on evolutionary research, yet no clear consensus on exactly what this viewpoint entails. We present a framework with three core components for the purpose of generating a constructive dialogue regarding this approach: 1) Think critically about sex and gender, and do not adopt assumptions, regardless of the source, without supportive evidence; 2) Explicitly recognize females as active agents in evolutionary processes; 3) Explicitly recognize women as active agents in human dynamics, including those related to inter-sexual selection and intra-sexual competition. Adoption of these principles may help advance understanding across disciplines, though there may be some feminists and even some evolutionary researchers who will balk at some or all of these principles.