Abstract The idea that individual differences in behavior and physiology can be partly understood by linking them to a fast-slow continuum of life history strategies has become popular in the evolutionary behavioral sciences. I refer to this approach as the “fast-slow paradigm” of individual differences. The paradigm has generated a substantial amount of research, but has also come increasingly under scrutiny for theoretical, empirical, and methodological reasons. I start by reviewing the basic empirical facts about the fast-slow continuum across species and the main theoretical accounts of its existence. I then discuss the move from the level of species and populations to that of individuals, and the theoretical and empirical complications that follow. I argue that the fast-slow continuum can be a productive heuristic for individual differences; however, the field needs to update its theoretical assumptions, rethink some methodological practices, and explore new approaches and ideas in light of the specific features of the human ecology.

中文翻译：

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重新思考个体差异的快慢连续体

摘要 行为和生理的个体差异可以通过将它们与快速-慢速连续的生活史策略联系起来来部分理解的想法已经在进化行为科学中流行起来。我将这种方法称为个体差异的“快-慢范式”。该范式已经产生了大量的研究，但由于理论、经验和方法论的原因，也越来越受到审查。我首先回顾了关于跨物种的快-慢连续体的基本经验事实及其存在的主要理论解释。然后我讨论了从物种和种群水平到个体水平的转变，以及随之而来的理论和经验上的复杂性。我认为快慢连续体可以成为个体差异的有效启发；