The school of thought in psychology that focused on the adaptive nature of thinking and how our consciousness evolves to meet our needs is Functionalism. Functionalism, founded by William James and others, emphasized the purpose of consciousness and mental processes in helping individuals adapt to their environment rather than merely analyzing the structure of the mind. It views consciousness as a continuous flow that serves practical functions in everyday life, such as attention, memory, and problem- solving, all aimed at adaptation and survival
. In addition, Evolutionary Psychology also addresses how cognitive processes and consciousness have evolved to solve adaptive problems faced by our ancestors through natural selection. It considers the mind as composed of cognitive adaptations shaped by evolutionary pressures to meet environmental challenges, emphasizing the evolved nature of thinking and behavior
. However, the primary school historically associated with the adaptive value of consciousness itself is Functionalism. Evolutionary Psychology builds on this by applying evolutionary theory to understand the origins of these adaptive mental functions.
