Chapter 2: Evolution of Emotions Flashcards
Week 1: Introduction and Theoretical Approaches
evolution
key concept in biology that explains how species develop and it also sheds a light on emotions
emotional expressions
Darwin provided evidence for his theory by highlighting the similarities in emotional expressions between humans and other mammals
3 processes of evolution (Darwin)
- superabundence
- variation
- selection
superabundence
animals and plants produce more offspring than how many can survive into adulthood
variation
each offspring is somewhat different than others and these differences are passed on by heredity
selection
characteristics that allow for better adaptation to the environment are more likely to survive and be passed on to future generations
selection pressures
at the core of natural selection are selection pressures, which are environmental factors or forces that influence the survival and reproductive success of organisms within a population
genes
are one element of evolution; they pass during reproduction from one generation to the next. two kinds of sexual selection pressure determine who reproduces and what genes are passed on
intersexual selection
occurs when individuals of one sex (usually females) select mates based on specific traits
intrasexual selection
occurs when individuals of the same sex (usually males) compete with each other for access to mates
fitness
the likelihood of surviving and reproducing successfully
adaptations
are generally base traits that allow for the individual to respond effectively and efficiently to specific pressures and allow for survival and reproduction
physcial robustness (fit and healthy)
genes are more likely to be passed on to subsequent generations when humans mate with physically robust individuals
gender differences in mate preferences
- given the cost that women sustain during pregnancy and in raising children, they are more likely to be attracted to potential partners with status and resources that could aid them in this kind of intensive work
- men look for women at their best reproductive age and feel attraction in response to cues of youth
three adaptations to selection pressure of rasining offspring
- humans have deep emotional responses to baby-like facial cues that, allow for their continuous devotion to infants, despite the costs of raising a child
- an infant’s scent can also promote positive emotions in caregivers
- parents often feel powerful protecting and caring feelings in response to hearing an infant’s vocalisation
how do humans genes program us?
through emotions:
- equipped with the emotion of fear, we protect our bodies
- being emotionally drawn to nutritious food allows us to build our bodies
- being interested in sex enables our genes to reproduce and pass on to the next generations
- feeling love for our children allows us to take care of them
our emotions are the means by which genes replicate
field of epigenetics
have revealed that there are imporant biomechemical processes that turn genes on and off, depending on the characteristics of the environment an individual is in. genes on their own dont determine your emotional tendencies - they have their effects only in particular social environments
the environment of evolutionary adaptation
humans adapted to their environment over 6 million years. it was in this environment of evolutionary adaptedness that specific emotions developed, helping individuals cope with selection pressures.
insights from modern hunter-gatherers
contemporary hunter-gatherer societies can be studied to find clues that can help us understand the social pressures and patterns that gave rise to human emotion. the adaptedness of the human environment was highly social
insights from nonhuman primates
another source of evidence about our environment of human adaptedness is the study of the lives of our closest primate relatives—chimpazees and their relatives, the bonobos
Jane Goodall
a primate researcher who, by observing chimpanzees in their natural habitats, documented many chimpanzees emotion-like responses such as:
- fear of an aggressive interaction
- anger in a fight
- annoyance of a bothersome juvenile
- mourning following the death of a parent
attchement
the first social dimension is attachment between infants and their mothers. chimpanzee mothers and infants stay close to each other
hierarchies
chimpanzees live in hierarchies which provide heuristic solutions to problems like the distribution of resources and the labour required for collective endeavours
affiliation
another social dimension. caregiving is central to the affiliation patterns among nonkin: chimpanzees and bonobos often become intensively distressed when they witness harm to other group members