Chapter 2 Flashcards
Adaptation
A process by which organisms become better suited to their environment and thereby increase their reproductive success
Adaptive radiation
The diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches
Co-residence duration
Cue of relatedness; the longer two individuals lived together throughout childhood, the more likely they are related
Cuckoldry
A mate is led to believe that another person’s child is their own
Differential reproduction
Organisms have different rates of reproductive success
Diminishing marginal gains
A decline in the gain a person derives from the consumption of each additional unit of a product
Direct fitness
Personal survival and reproduction
Eugenics
The science of trying to improve the human population by controlled breeding to increase desirable heritable traits
Eusocial
Species with radical reproductive division of labour; a single female or caste produces the offspring and sterile individuals cooperate in caring for the young
Fertility
Ones reproductive ability
Fitness
An organisms reproductive success, their ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment
Fluctuating asymmetry
A measure of bilateral traits that are symmetrical over the population as a whole, but not necessarily for an individual. Higher symmetry is considered more desirable.
Gametes
A haploid cell that is able to unite with another opposite sex cell to form a zygote
Genetic relatedness (r)
An estimate of the proportion of genes shared between individuals
Hamilton’s Rule
rB>C
Heritable
When a trait can be transmissible (genetically) from parent to offspring
Inbreeding
Reproduction among close relatives, especially over generations
Inclusive fitness
An organism’s ability to pass on their genes to the next generation, taking into account the shared genes that are passed on by relatives
Indirect fitness
Survival and reproduction of relatives
Incest aversion
An aversion to mating with close relatives
Intersexual selection
Competition within individuals to capture the interest of the other sex
Intrasexual selection
Competition within individuals over access to the opposite sex
Kin recognition
A psychological mechanism that helps an organism to distinguish between close genetic kin and non-kin
Mate choice
A component of intersexual selection where selection of a mate depends on the attractiveness of their traits
Maternal-perinatal association
Older siblings learn to recognize offspring that their mother cares for as younger siblings
Natural selection
Organisms which are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring thus continuing/increasing the behavioural or physical trait within the population
Negatively related
r<0, less related than what we would expect by chance
Parent-offspring conflict
The conflict that arises from differences in optimal parental investment from the viewpoints of the parent and the offspring
Phenotype
The observable characteristics, both physical and behavioural, of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype and environment
Phylogeny
A pattern of evolutionary development and divergence of distinct lineage from common ancestors
Positively related
r>0, more related than we would expect by chance
Romantic jealousy
Feelings of anger and desire to guard a mate/prospective mate from emotionally investing in a new relationship
Sexual jealousy
Feelings of anger and desire to guard a mate/prospective mate from engaging in a sexual activity with another
Sexual selection
Natural selection within the mating domain, represented by preferences by one sex for particular characteristics in the opposite sex
Social behaviour
Actions directed at society or taking place between members of the same species
Waist-to-hip ratio
Circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips
