Schools are a central interface between evolution and culture. They are the contexts in which children learn the evolutionarily novel abilities and knowledge needed to function as adults in modern societies. Evolutionary educational psychology is the study of how an evolved bias in children's learning and motivational systems influences their…

Commentators' questions about the utility of an evolutionarily informed approach to children's schooling are addressed. I begin with discussion of our knowledge of the organization of evolved folk domains and clarify my proposals as to how evolved learning and motivational biases might influence the acquisition of nonevolved academic competencies.…