Chapters 9 & 12 - Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Psychology; Positive Psychology Flashcards
What does the field of behavioural genetics address?
How personality traits (that differ among people) are passed from parent to child and shared biological relatives
- how genes influence broad patterns
Why is modern personality research not concerned with eugenics and cloning?
Because personality is determined by more than just genetics
What is the purpose of calculating heritability?
to examine how phenotypes may be attributed to variation in genotypes
- addresses how genes affect phenotypes
What is the assumption in calculating heritability?
Traits and behaviours influenced by genes should be more similar among more closely related people
What does the heritability coefficient tell us?
Attributes percentage of variance to genetics
What does past research into heritability tell us?
shared family environment does not seem to matter much
What does present research into heritability tell us?
Aggression, psychopathologies (except ADHD), juvenile delinquency and more are affected by shared environment
Do our genes cause our actions?
No
- there must be an environment in order for there to be behaviour
- environments can affect heritability
What is niche picking?
Choosing the environment that will enhance genetic makeup
Describe the differences in personality we find in the variations of the 5 HHT gene
people who have the short version of the allele are more likely to be depressed after a stressful event (example of a gene environment interaction)
What is epigenetics?
non-genetic influences on a gene’s expression (stress, nutrition)
- may be possible to help people find environments that will lead to good outcomes
What does evolutionary psychology address?
addresses how patterns of behaviour that characterize all humans may have originated because of the survival value of these characteristics
- our ancestors who had adaptive personality traits survived
What is the assumption of evolutionary psychology?
characteristics with more survival value are more likely to appear in subsequent generations
What is the goal of evolutionary psychology?
To identify common behaviour patterns and then determine how the behaviour was adaptive
What is inclusive fitness?
Taking care of relatives so that they can pass on genes
Why do maladaptive traits still exist, according to evolutionary psychology?
Diversity is necessary for adaptation
- behavioural patterns evolved as reactions to particular environmental experiences
- several possible behavioural strategies evolved
- some behaviours may be frequency dependent (some behaviours are adaptive as long as only a few people do them)
What were some of the biggest challenges that evolutionary psychology had to face?
- methodology: backward speculation is difficult to test empirically
- reproductive instinct: the most adaptive trait is the desire to reproduce - how come some people don’t want to reproduce?
- human flexibility: people are more flexible than evolution and genetically determined behaviour accounts for (response: we evolved to be flexible)
- biological determinism or social structure?
What is biological reductionism?
everything about the mind can be reduced to biology
Describe the beginnings of optimistic humanism
- began with existential assumptions (Rogers): people have free will
- Maslow added that people are basically good (optimistic humanism)
What is the main tendency of people, according to optimistic humanism?
People have one basic tendency and striving: to actualize, maintain, and enhance their own experience
What is actualization?
the basic need to maintain and enhance life
- goal of existence is to satisfy this need
What is the basic assumption of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
the ultimate need or motive is to self-actualize
Going from top to bottom, describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
- self-actualization
- status, esteem
- belonging, social activity
- safety, security, comfort, sex
- basic physiological needs, food, water, etc
What does the evolutionary approach to the hierarchy of needs add?
Parenting as the ultimate goal (instead of self-actualization)
What is optimal experience?
how to make the most of your moment-to-moment experience
What are autotelic activities?
activities that are enjoyable for their own sake; this is the best way to spend one’s time
When people are in flow, what do people show?
- tremendous concentration
- mood that is elevated
- time seems to pass quickly
What are the three intrinsic goals in self-determination theory?
- autonomy: you are the one calling the shots
- competence: can carry out what you want to do
- relatedness: to have support from others
What is the focus of positive psychology?
Is positive phenomenon and the meaning of life (how we can improve the quality of life)
Where does true happiness come from, according to positive psychology?
From overcoming important challenges
- investigates the traits, processes, and social institutions that promote a happy and meaningful life
How can one achieve happiness?
- obtaining a base level of money
- building relationships
What are the most universal character strengths?
justice and humanity
