10.1 Social Behaviour

Question 1

interpersonal attraction

Answer 1

the force that makes people like eachother; we tend to be attracted to people who are similar to us and those with a good appearance

Question 2

self-disclosure

Answer 2

a component of attration; sharing one’s fears, thoughts, and goals with another perosn and being met with non judgmental empathy

Question 3

reciprocal liking

Answer 3

the phenomenon where people like others better when they believe the other peroson likes them

Question 4

proximity

Answer 4

being physically close to someone; plays a factor in our attraction to others; ex. We are more likely to befriend someone who sits close to us in class

Question 5

mer exposure effect / familiarity effect

Answer 5

a phenemon where people prefer stimuli that they have been exposed to more frequently; ex. Growing to like a song you initially didn’t like

Question 6

aggression

Answer 6

a behaviour that intends to cause harm or increase social dominance; can be physical, verbal, or nonverbal

Question 7

amygdala role

Answer 7

responsible for associating stimuli and their corresponding rewards or punishments; tells us whether or not something is a threat; activation increases aggression

Question 8

which brain region increases aggression when activated?

Answer 8

amygdala; note: the prefrontal cortex can reduce emotional reactivity and impulsivity caused by amgydala activation

Question 9

aggression is linked with higher levels of which hormone?

Answer 9

testosterone

Question 10

the cognitive neoassociation model

Answer 10

we are more likely to respond to others aggressively whenever we are feeling negative emotions; ex. when tired, in pain, hunger, etc.

Question 11

attachment

Answer 11

an emotional bond between a caregiver and a child

Question 12

4 main types of attachment styles

Answer 12

secure, avoidant, ambivalent, disorganized

Question 13

secure attachment

Answer 13

when a child has a consistent caregiver and is able to go out and explore, knowing they have a secure base to return to; upseet upon the departure of the caregiver and comforted by their return

Question 14

avoidant attachment

Answer 14

when the caregiver has little or no response to a distressed child; these children show no preference between a stranger and a caregiver and show little/no distress when the caregiver leaves or returns

Question 15

ambivalent attachment

Answer 15

when the caregiver has an inconsistent reponse to a child’s distress, sometimes responding appropriately and sometimes neglectfully; very distressed upon separation from caregiver but has mixed response when they return

Question 16

disorganized attachment

Answer 16

children show no clear pattern of behaviour in repsonse to the caregiers absenese or presenece; often associated with errative behaviour and social withdrawal by the caregiver; may be a sign of abuse

Question 17

social support

Answer 17

the perception or reality that one is cared for by a social network

ex. it is very prominent when someone suffers a tragedy

Question 18

emotional support

Answer 18

listening, affirming, and empathizing with someone’s feelings

Question 19

esteem support

Answer 19

reminding someone of the qualities and skills they possess to tackle a problem (similar to emotional support)

Question 20

material (or tangible) support

Answer 20

any type of financial or material contribution to another person

ex. making a meal for a friend who has lost a loved one; donating money to someone in need

Question 21

informational support

Answer 21

providing information that will help someone

ex. a doctor explaining diagnoses to a patient

Question 22

network support

Answer 22

the type of social support that gives someone a sense of belonging

Question 23

foraging

Answer 23

the behaviour of seeking our and eating food

driven by biological, psychological, and social influences

Question 24

which brain region controls the sensation of hunger?

Answer 24

the hypothalamus

Lateral → promotes hunger

ventromedial → promotes satiety

Question 25

mating system

Answer 25

describes the organization of a group’s sexual behaviour

in most animal species, there is one dominant mating system

humans mating system has more flexibility

Question 26

mating

Answer 26

the pairing of opposite sex organisms for the purpose of reproduction and propagation of genetic material

Includes both the act of mating, the behaviours associated with it, and the events that occur after mating (like nest building)

Question 27

monogamy

Answer 27

an exclusive acting relationship

Question 28

polygamy

Answer 28

involves polygyny (a male having exclusive relationships with multiple females) or polyandry (a female having exclusive relationships with multiple males)

Question 29

promiscuity

Answer 29

a member of one sex mating with any member of the opposite sex, without exclusivity

Question 30

mate choice (intersexual selection)

Answer 30

the selection fo a mate based on attraction

Question 31

mate bias

Answer 31

how choosy members of the species are while choosing a mate; an evolutionary mechanism that increases species fitness

may have direct or indirect benefits

Question 32

direct and indirect benefits of mate bias

Answer 32

direct benefits → provide material advantages, protection, or emotional support

indirect benefits → promoting better survival in offspring

Question 33

random mating

Answer 33

all equally likely to mate with each other; not influenced by environment/heredity or social limitation

Ensures a large amount of genetic diversity

Question 34

Assortative Mating

Answer 34

Non-random mating where individuals with certain characteristics tend to mate with each other at a higher frequency (ex. large animals with large animals)

Problem: can be harmful to species if animals thatare too genetically similar mate (inbreeding)

scientists think this is the most beneficial

Question 35

Disassortative Mating (Non-Assortative Mating)

Answer 35

opposite of assortative mating

individuals with different or diverse traits mate with higher frequency than with random mating

Question 36

5 mechanisms of mate choice:

Answer 36

phenotypic benefits

sensory bias

Fisherian or runaway selection

indicator traits

genetic compatibility

Question 37

phenotypic benefits

Answer 37

observable traits that make a potential mate more attractive to the opposite sex

ex. males that appear more nurturing are more likely to care for and promote survival of their offspring

Question 38

sensory bias

Answer 38

development of a trait to match a preexisting preference that exists in the population

ex. crabs are naturally attracted to structures that break up the horizon b/c it suggests food; male crabs build structures to attract mates

Question 39

Fisherian or runaway selection

Answer 39

a trait which has no effect or a negative effect on survival becomes more and more exaggerated over time

the trait becomes sexually desirable the more it is passed on?

ex. bright feathers of a peacock

Question 40

indicator traits

Answer 40

traits that signify overall good health and well-being of on organism, increasing its attractiveness to mates

(may or may not be genetic in origin)

Question 41

genetic compatibility

Answer 41

the creation of mate pairs that have complementary genetics when combined

attraction to others who have starkly different genetic makeup; reduces the frequency of recessive genetic disorders

Question 42

altruism

Answer 42

a form of helping behaviour in which the person’s intent is to benefit someone else at some cost to themselves

may be motivated by selflessness OR a desire for recognition

Question 43

empathy

Answer 43

the ability to vicariously experience the emotions of another

Question 44

empathy-altruism hypothesis

Answer 44

a theory that an individual will help another person when they feel empathy for the other person, regardless of the costs

more recent theories think that the individual will help only if the benefits outweigh the costs for the individual

Question 45

game theory

Answer 45

a model that explains social interaction and decision-making as a game, including strategies, incentives, and punishments

Question 46

evolutionary stable strategy

Answer 46

a strategy that, once adopted, will use natural selective pressure to prevent alternate strategies from arising

Question 47

inclusive fitness

Answer 47

a measure of an organism’s success in the population

considers both the number of offspring an individual produces, how well they support their offspring, AND the ability of the offspring to then support others

promotes the idea that altruistic behaviour can improve the fitness and success of a species as a whole