Behavioral Evolution

Question 1

proximate cause

Answer 1

physiological and environmental causes for behavior

Question 2

ultimate cause

Answer 2

evolutionary adaptations for behavior caused by selection pressures

Question 3

homology

Answer 3

preservation of the same ancestral trait (& genes) in multiple descendant species

Question 4

directional selection

Answer 4

moves a population toward a certain trait

Question 5

disruptive selection

Answer 5

splits a population into two extremes

Question 6

convergent evolution

Answer 6

“mimic” traits are shared via selection pressures

Question 7

homoplasy

Answer 7

producing the “same” trait via convergent evolution

Question 8

unit of selection of behavior

Answer 8

genes!

Question 9

how are genes selected for?

Answer 9

based on fitness

Question 10

ESS

Answer 10

Evolutionarily Stable Strategy
behavior strategy that doesn’t decrease in frequency relative to others in a population
remember hawks and doves?

Question 11

altruism

Answer 11

doing something that costs an individual but provides a benefit to another
can raise inclusive fitness

Question 12

inclusive fitness

Answer 12

aggregate fitness across all copies of a gene relative to other genes and their copies

Question 13

gene identity

Answer 13

gene exists simultaneously in multiple locations

is a pattern

Question 14

kin selection

Answer 14

traits that benefit a gene copy in relatives should be selected under certain conditions

Question 15

reciprocal altruism

Answer 15

aid for future return

Question 16

group selection

Answer 16

aid for future members of a species
vulnerable to ‘selfish gene’ invasion or mutation
must be supported by inclusive fitness or reciprocal altruism