Final answer:
Evolutionary psychology is the field that views behavior as a result of natural selection and genetic influences. It emphasizes how evolutionary principles have shaped and continue to influence human behavior and is associated with the reductionistic approach.
Step-by-step explanation:
The contemporary view of behavior that is considered reductionistic and mechanistic and which seeks to explain behavior through the process of natural selection is evolutionary psychology. This field of study focuses on how genetic inheritance and evolutionary principles influence human behavior. The behaviors observed are theorized to have evolved because they were or are advantageous in terms of survival and reproduction and are passed down across generations.
Evolutionary psychology is closely related to sociobiology, as they both study the evolutionary processes that shape behavior. However, the study of behavior from an evolutionary standpoint can be contentious, particularly when applied to human behaviors, touching on the debate over biological determinism versus environmental influences.
Ultimately, evolutionary psychology aims to understand cognitive, social, and individual behaviors within a framework that posits the existence of psychological adaptations that evolved to solve recurrent problems in human ancestral environments.