5: Genes, Culture, and Gender Flashcards
biological process, defined by Charles Darwin, by which offspring compete for survival and those with heritable traits that best enable them to survive and reproduce in particular environments are passed to ensuing generations
natural selection
study of the evolution of cognition and behavior using the principles of natural selection, emphasizing our universal human nature - psychological traits that best enhanced survival were most likely to be spread to ensuing generations
evolutionary psychology
theory in evolutionary psychology that some of the behaviors we exhibit in the present day were established to adapt to environments that don’t resemble our current ones - sustained despite no longer serving original purpose
mismatch theory
hormone linked to dominance and aggression that is more prevalent in males than females
testosterone
sex chromosome that determines male sex and directs the development of testicles and secretion of testosterone - only different chromosome between males and females
Y chromosome
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
culture
the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without DNA change
epigenetics
standards for accepted and expected “proper” behavior within a specific culture
norms
the buffer zone we prefer to keep between our bodies and others - its size varies depending on our culture and our familiarity with whoever is near us (friends/lovers vs. strangers)
personal space
defined by Judith Rich Harris, the prevailing belief that the manner in which parents raise their children governs who they will later become - Harris argues that peer influence is more influential to overall personality
The Nurture Assumption
the vicarious experience of another’s feelings, putting oneself in their shoes and understanding their pain/joy - women are more likely to value
empathy
physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone - men are more likely to commit direct forms (violence), women are more likely to commit indirect forms (malicious gossip)
aggression
developing a theory for findings after they’ve already been established, forcing findings to fit the theory - criticism of evolutionary psychology
post-hoc explanation
social norms that prescribe how a given social interaction should proceed based on a distinct culture (ex. whether you should tip waiters, whether you should take shoes off at the door, etc.)
social scripts
term for the phenomenon of men in power fearing the loss of their power and accompanying masculinity - need to “defend” masculinity, be “man enough”
precarious manhood
