Biological Approach

Question 1

Natural selection.

Answer 1

Individuals who adapt best to their environment will have a greater chance of survival and reproduction, therefore they pass on their traits to their offspring.

Question 3

Adaptation

Answer 3

When species develop characteristics that make them more competitive in their environment.

Question 8

Who came up with the social competition hypothesis?

Answer 8

Price (1994)

Question 8

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 8

Genes that carry reproductive and survival advantages are passed down through natural selection.

Question 9

Social Competition Hypothesis

Answer 9

• views depression as an “involuntary subordinate strategy” that evolved to reduce aggression and enhance survival in competitive situations
• reduced motivation and social withdrawal when there is no benefit
• resource holding potential: ability to win influences whether individuals adopt attack or subordinate self-esteem strategy.

Question 9

Evaluating Social Competition Hypothesis

Answer 9

Strengths:

• Explains higher depression rates in females due to greater parental investment.
• Supported by animal research (e.g., Raleigh et al., 1984).
• Depressed individuals often avoid competition more than others (Kupferberg et al., 2016).
  Limitations:
• Implies treatment through social hierarchy adjustment, which may be impractical.
• Overlooks cognitive and biochemical aspects of depression.
• Lacks concrete evidence on the role of behavior in inclusive fitness.

Question 10

Raleigh et al

Answer 10

Aim: Explore the relationship betwen social status and seratonin (associated with depression symptoms).
Method:
-: Researchers formed groups of three male monkeys, three female monkeys, and their offspring.
Observation: Adult males were observed for at least 5 months and categorized as dominant or submissive based on an observation schedule.
- a natural change occurred where a previously submissive monkey became dominant, and the former dominant monkey became submissive.
- Serotonin levels were measured before and after the hierarchy changes using blood samples.

Question 11

Findings/Evaluation of Raleigh et al:

Answer 11

• Seratonin levels increased in those that became dominant, decreased in those that became submissive.
• Lower S levels are correlated with depression, social withdrawal, etc..
• those that have lower S levels tend to avoid conflict, increased survival and reproductive success.
• it eliminates the limitation of bidirectional ambiguity as it uses a pre-test/post-test design.
• limited generalizability to humans as does not predict human social outcomes.
• does not adress cognitive or sociocultural

Question 12

Pathogen Host Defense Hypothesis:

Answer 12

the depressive symptoms that increase the risk for depression also increase immunity to infectious diseases. A gene for neuropeptide Y (stress NP), makes it more difficult for individuals to cope with stress, making the immune system activated and increasing inflammation response.

Question 13

Raison et al

Answer 13

Aim: To test if genes associated with depression are also associated with higher immunity.
Method:
- Gave infliximab (anti-inflammatory drug) to depressed patients.
Findings:
- those who showed higher levels of inflammation, drug reduced depressive symptoms.
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