bio approach: evolution & behaviour Flashcards
human behavior is influenced by
a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors, many of which have evolutionary roots.
one prominent evolutionary explanation for behavior?
the theory of sexual selection, which posits that certain traits and behaviors have evolved as a result of competition for mates and preferences in mate choice.
sexual selection encompasses both intrasexual and intersexual competition, with individuals competing within their own sex for access to mates (intrasexual competition) and individuals choosing mates based on specific traits or characteristics (intersexual competition).
provides insights into the behaviors observed in human populations, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms driving mate choice, reproductive strategies, and social dynamics.
study linked to this?
ronay and von hippel (2010) explored the phenomenon of increased risk-taking behavior in the presence of an attractive female.
ronay & von hippel (2010) investigated -
whether men would exhibit greater risk-taking tendencies when competing for mating opportunities, a behavior potentially driven by intrasexual competition and the desire to signal genetic fitness to potential mates.
by examining how testosterone levels and behavior are influenced by the presence of an attractive female, this study offers support for evolutionary theories of sexual selection.
ronay & von hippel (2010) aim -
to determine if men would take greater risks in the presence of an attractive female, than in the presence of a male.
R&H (2010) hypothesis -
men would take greater risks as a result of intrasexual selection - that is, he who makes the greatest impression, gets the girl.
R&H (2010) sample -
96 young adult Australian male skateboarders whose mean age was 21.58. they were recruited from skateboard parks.
R&H (2010) procedure -
53 P - female researcher condition
43 P - male researcher condition
tasks conducted b/w 2 and 6pm.
skateboarders were asked to do one “easy trick” and then one “difficult trick” which they could successfully complete approximately 50% of the time.
they were asked to do each trick 10 times. after a break, they were asked to make 10 more attempts of each trick but this time in front of the same male researcher or an attractive 18-year-old female researcher who was blind to the hypothesis.
R&H (2010) procedure pt.2 -
attractiveness of the female researcher was established by having 20 male raters view photos of potential female experimenters.
the skateboarders’ attempts were coded for one of three outcomes: success, crash landing, or aborted attempt. high levels of aborted attempts would be seen as an indicator of low-risk taking.
saliva samples were collected after the experiment to measure testosterone. heart rate was measured by having participants wear a Nordic sports watch. these measurements were taken before the task and then measured throughout the task.
R&H (2010) results -
participants in the female group took greater risks on the difficult tricks (often resulting in accidents) and they aborted the trick fewer times. their testosterone levels were higher than participants who performed in front of the male researcher.
there was no significant difference in the measure of heart rate between the two groups.
the researchers argued that testosterone affects the functioning of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex which is responsible for decision-making. higher level of testosterone may impair the functioning of the vmpfc leading to higher risk-taking behavior which may have an evolutionary origin to attract a beautiful mate.
conclusion -
the theory of sexual selection helps us understand how behaviors like risk-taking evolve in humans.
this study supports this theory, showing how men may take risks to impress potential mates by highlighting the role of evolutionary pressures in shaping human behavior and provides valuable insights into our social dynamics and mating strategies.
