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Understanding the origins of workplace behavior

A Charles Darwin, the brilliant anthropologist and creator of the theory of evolution, is not normally associated with the modern business world. Nevertheless, Darwinian evolutionary theory is the foundation of a new wave of ideas about human behavior in general and particularly the way people behave in the workplace; these ideas have been given the title of evolutionary psychology. Evolutionary psychology revolves around the notion that our brains, like our bodies, have an inherited evolutionary structure and we are engineered for life 10,000 years ago. As respected evolutionary psychology experts Leda Cosmides and John Tooby comment, our modern skulls house a Stone Age mind. The US biologist Edward O. Wilson sees evolutionary psychology as being a discipline which is based on both socio-biology, which is the study of the biological basis of social behavior, and psychology, which is the systematic study of human behavior.

B Nigel Nicholson, an organizational psychologist from the London Business School, is a strong supporter of evolutionary psychology and on this subject has published Managing the Human Animal. His book takes the reader on a journey from the Stone Age plains of the savannah to the modern office, and includes a discussion of Darwinism and behavioral psychology together with a dissection of dysfunctional organizational behavior. It is an effective approach for explaining why people behave as they do, particularly at work. Evolutionary psychology is increasingly being cited in management roles where managers are trying to understand puzzling aspects of human behaviour and by doing so improve the workplace. Nicholson believes that evolutionary psychology can help managers understand what goes wrong in organizational life and what they can do about it.

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C Nicholson maintains that evolutionary psychology dismisses the long-held assumption that our minds are like blank pages just waiting for each child’s experience to write on them and shape our nature. He points out that sophisticated research shows the brain actually houses a store of knowledge when we are born, and now genetic research is establishing there are certain genes that account for abilities, tastes and tendencies. The stored knowledge in the human brain has not changed much since the Stone Age. As Tooby and Cosmides stress, there have not been enough generations for a brain that is well adapted to our post-industrial life to evolve through natural selection.

D A key element of evolutionary psychology is the role of emotion. Our emotional responses—such as fear, anger, trust, or jealousy—evolved as survival mechanisms in prehistoric environments. In the workplace, these ancient emotions can shape modern behavior in powerful ways. For example, the fear of exclusion from a group might drive conformity, while status competition can trigger rivalry or ambition. Understanding these emotional underpinnings can help explain why certain management styles fail, why team dynamics succeed or collapse, and why change initiatives often meet with deep-seated resistance.

E This perspective also sheds light on leadership. Evolutionary theory suggests that humans are predisposed to follow strong, confident leaders in times of uncertainty—a trait that would have enhanced survival in ancestral tribes. In modern corporations, this can manifest as employees looking for decisive direction during crises, but it can also lead to the uncritical acceptance of charismatic but flawed authority figures. Similarly, our innate tendency to form in-groups and out-groups, once vital for tribal loyalty, now underlies office politics, departmental silos, and discrimination.

F Critics of applying evolutionary psychology to business argue that it risks oversimplifying complex social behaviors and justifying undesirable traits as “natural” and therefore unchangeable. They caution against using evolutionary narratives to excuse poor management or toxic workplace cultures. Proponents, however, contend that the value lies not in justifying behavior, but in diagnosing it. By recognizing the deep-rooted origins of certain impulses, organizations can design structures, incentives, and training that work with human nature rather than against it. >> 🔥 Nhắn zalo 0905834420 join group zalo Hóng đề thi máy 4 skills để cập nhật đề thi thật 4 kĩ năng hằng ngày [Kèm giải & đề làm online]

G Ultimately, evolutionary psychology offers a lens through which to view the modern office as a kind of “human zoo,” where ancient instincts play out under fluorescent lights. Whether explaining why gossip spreads, why meetings drag on, or why people hoard information, this approach suggests that much of what frustrates us about work may be less a product of modern corporate life and more a reflection of our prehistoric past. For managers, the lesson is profound: to manage people effectively, one must first understand the ancient animal within.

Questions 27–31

Choose the correct answer.

27 The writer’s purpose in the first paragraph is to

• ○ Oppose the views of Charles Darwin.

• ○ Compare experts’ opinions of Darwin’s theory.

• ○ Explain the theory of evolutionary psychology.

• ○ Name experts in the field of evolutionary psychology.

28 In the third paragraph, which view about evolutionary psychology matches Nicholson’s opinion?

• ○ Our characters determine our career choices.

• ○ We begin life without any preconceived notions.

• ○ Our interests and skills depend on our environment.

• ○ We inherit ideas and characteristics from our ancestors.

29 The writer discusses the key element of emotion in order to 

• ○ Criticize primitive survival strategies.

• ○ Explain attitudes and actions at work.

• ○ Demonstrate the slowness of evolution.

• ○ Suggest companies today are poorly structured.

30 According to Paragraph E, evolutionary theory suggests that humans naturally

• ○ resist all forms of leadership.

• ○ seek strong leaders in uncertain times.

• ○ prefer democratic decision-making.

• ○ avoid forming groups in the workplace.

31 What is a criticism mentioned in Paragraph F regarding evolutionary psychology in business? >> 🔥 IELTS TUTOR gợi ý tham khảo CẦN VIẾT & THU ÂM BAO NHIÊU BÀI ĐỂ ĐẠT 8.0 SPEAKING & 7.0 WRITING?   

• ○ It is too complex for managers to understand.

• ○ It may be used to justify negative behavior.

• ○ It ignores the role of genetics entirely.

• ○ It is not supported by any scientific research.

Questions 32–36
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Evolutionary psychology suggests that human brains are adapted for life in the 32 _______________. Nigel Nicholson applies this idea to the workplace in his book, arguing it helps explain 33 _______________ behavior in organizations. A central idea is that we are not born with blank minds, but instead possess innate 34 _______________ and tendencies. Emotions like fear and jealousy evolved as 35 _______________ mechanisms. Critics warn that this approach might oversimplify behavior or be used to excuse poor 36 _______________.

Questions 37–40
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3? Write:

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

1. Edward O. Wilson believes evolutionary psychology combines elements of socio-biology and psychology.

2. Nigel Nicholson’s book only discusses modern office behavior without reference to the past.

3. Evolutionary psychology can help explain why employees resist organizational change.

4. The writer believes that evolutionary psychology provides all the answers to modern management problems.

27 C
28 D
29 B
30 B
31 B
32 Stone Age
33 organizational
34 knowledge
35 survival
36 management
37 YES
38 NO
39 YES
40 NO

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