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
human attachment
research shows that human attachment patterns differ significantly from those of our primate relatives. humans are more monogamous
hierarchies in humans vs primate relatives
in chimpanzees and bonobos, hierarchies are mostly vertical, with clear alpha male and female, while for humans it is hard to identify alpha male and females and societies ranks are more equal
levelling mechanisms
early human hierarchies were shaped by levelling mechanisms, social-emotional processes that preserve more egalitarian relations
language
involves symbolic utterences (words) that are combined according to certain rules (syntax) to convey meaning (semantics). it is the most distinct characteristic that sets humans apart
ability to cooperate
another profound and basic characteristic of humans is our ability to cooperate. this ability can be categorized as the centre of being human
Esther Herrmann et al.
conducted a study comparing human infants (2.5 years) with chimpanzees (3-21 years) and orangutans (3-10 years). they had to perform 2 kinds of tasks:
- finding hidden rewards, using tools to retrieve rewards, and discrimination of quantity (physical task)
- seeing a person solve a problem and trying to solve it the same way, following the gaze of a person, being able to make and receive communicative gestures, and understanding what a person was trying to do in a task which the person completed unsuccessfully (social task)
Esther Herrmann et al. findings
for the physical task humans and chimps were about 69% correct and orangutans 59%. for the social task humans, infants were 74% correct and chimps or orangutans could not complete the task
joint goals vs individual goals
humans developed more joint goals compared to chimpanzees, who engage in more individual goals
collective group goals
after establishing joint goals, humans created collective group goals that encompassed shared beliefs and actions relevant to entire social groups, including customs like morality and culture
attachment process
infants develop psychological strength through the attachment process with their caregivers
secure base
the mother is a secure base—a dynamic that continues into adolescence and beyond. emotions are central to the development of attachment between children and their caregivers
pair-bonding (Bowlby)
the long-lasting relationships between specific human females and specific human males
affectional bonds (Bowlby)
the attachment relationship of infancy created a template for later intimate relationships
social hierarchy
hierarchies can be based on many qualities like power, status, authority, and social class. in humans, social hierarchies are discussed through emotions
