Chapters 9 & 12 - Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Psychology; Positive Psychology

Question 1

What does the field of behavioural genetics address?

Answer 1

How personality traits (that differ among people) are passed from parent to child and shared biological relatives
- how genes influence broad patterns

Question 2

Why is modern personality research not concerned with eugenics and cloning?

Answer 2

Because personality is determined by more than just genetics

Question 3

What is the purpose of calculating heritability?

Answer 3

to examine how phenotypes may be attributed to variation in genotypes
- addresses how genes affect phenotypes

Question 4

What is the assumption in calculating heritability?

Answer 4

Traits and behaviours influenced by genes should be more similar among more closely related people

Question 5

What does the heritability coefficient tell us?

Answer 5

Attributes percentage of variance to genetics

Question 6

What does past research into heritability tell us?

Answer 6

shared family environment does not seem to matter much

Question 7

What does present research into heritability tell us?

Answer 7

Aggression, psychopathologies (except ADHD), juvenile delinquency and more are affected by shared environment

Question 8

Do our genes cause our actions?

Answer 8

No

• there must be an environment in order for there to be behaviour
• environments can affect heritability

Question 9

What is niche picking?

Answer 9

Choosing the environment that will enhance genetic makeup

Question 10

Describe the differences in personality we find in the variations of the 5 HHT gene

Answer 10

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)

Question 11

What is epigenetics?

Answer 11

non-genetic influences on a gene’s expression (stress, nutrition)
- may be possible to help people find environments that will lead to good outcomes

Question 12

What does evolutionary psychology address?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What is the assumption of evolutionary psychology?

Answer 13

characteristics with more survival value are more likely to appear in subsequent generations

Question 14

What is the goal of evolutionary psychology?

Answer 14

To identify common behaviour patterns and then determine how the behaviour was adaptive

Question 15

What is inclusive fitness?

Answer 15

Taking care of relatives so that they can pass on genes

Question 16

Why do maladaptive traits still exist, according to evolutionary psychology?

Answer 16

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)

Question 17

What were some of the biggest challenges that evolutionary psychology had to face?

Answer 17

1. methodology: backward speculation is difficult to test empirically
2. reproductive instinct: the most adaptive trait is the desire to reproduce - how come some people don’t want to reproduce?
3. human flexibility: people are more flexible than evolution and genetically determined behaviour accounts for (response: we evolved to be flexible)
4. biological determinism or social structure?

Question 18

What is biological reductionism?

Answer 18

everything about the mind can be reduced to biology

Question 19

Describe the beginnings of optimistic humanism

Answer 19

• began with existential assumptions (Rogers): people have free will
• Maslow added that people are basically good (optimistic humanism)

Question 20

What is the main tendency of people, according to optimistic humanism?

Answer 20

People have one basic tendency and striving: to actualize, maintain, and enhance their own experience

Question 21

What is actualization?

Answer 21

the basic need to maintain and enhance life

- goal of existence is to satisfy this need

Question 22

What is the basic assumption of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 22

the ultimate need or motive is to self-actualize

Question 23

Going from top to bottom, describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 23

1. self-actualization
2. status, esteem
3. belonging, social activity
4. safety, security, comfort, sex
5. basic physiological needs, food, water, etc

Question 24

What does the evolutionary approach to the hierarchy of needs add?

Answer 24

Parenting as the ultimate goal (instead of self-actualization)

Question 25

What is optimal experience?

Answer 25

how to make the most of your moment-to-moment experience

Question 26

What are autotelic activities?

Answer 26

activities that are enjoyable for their own sake; this is the best way to spend one’s time

Question 27

When people are in flow, what do people show?

Answer 27

• tremendous concentration
• mood that is elevated
• time seems to pass quickly

Question 28

What are the three intrinsic goals in self-determination theory?

Answer 28

1. autonomy: you are the one calling the shots
2. competence: can carry out what you want to do
3. relatedness: to have support from others

Question 29

What is the focus of positive psychology?

Answer 29

Is positive phenomenon and the meaning of life (how we can improve the quality of life)

Question 30

Where does true happiness come from, according to positive psychology?

Answer 30

From overcoming important challenges

- investigates the traits, processes, and social institutions that promote a happy and meaningful life

Question 31

How can one achieve happiness?

Answer 31

• obtaining a base level of money

- building relationships

Question 32

What are the most universal character strengths?

Answer 32

justice and humanity