Is Evolutionary Psychology Theory Appropriate for Abortion Research?

Abstract

This is a commentary on Adair and Lozano’s (2022) article “Adaptive Choice: Psychological Perspectives on Abortion and Reproductive Freedom.” Here I question the utility and appropriateness of one of the psychological perspectives offered: evolutionary psychology. Evolutionary psychology has often been critiqued by feminist scholars for its reification of traditional gender roles, including the stereotype that women are inherently maternal. A more nuanced view, such as biosocial constructionist theory, may be better suited to answering the questions Adair and Lozano suggest that researchers address.

Keywords:

• Abortion
• evolutionary theory
• feminist critiques
• stigma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).