Cooperation and Morality

Question 1

Wilson’s theory on cooperation (based on sociobiology)

Answer 1

social behaviour increase fitness therefore selecting for social behaviour

Question 2

cognitive module for cooperation (based on evo. psych.)

Answer 2

cognitive module motivates behaviour which increases fitness and therefore selects for the cog module

Question 3

cognitive module

Answer 3

underlying element causing a social behaviour

e.g. loving our children (cog module) causes us to raise our children (behaviour)

Question 4

goodness paradox

Answer 4

we are simultaneously more and less violent than other primates

Question 5

two types if aggression

Answer 5

reactive aggression

proactive aggression

Question 6

reactive aggression

Answer 6

spontaneous, impulsive response to threat
humans have less of this
e.g. male chimps killing each other for females

Question 7

proactive aggression

Answer 7

planned, instrumental violence, often cooperative
humans have more of this
e.g. assassination of Julius Caesar

Question 8

human self-domestication

Answer 8

skulls have become more childish and feminine over time

similar pattern in other domesticated animals

Question 9

domestication syndrome

Answer 9

• reduced sexual dimorphism because of reduced sexual competition
• subdued stress response

Question 10

how was the selection for the “strongest male” removed

Answer 10

cooperation

• development of language allowed for communication of past and future events
• strongest was taking advantage of the group, and therefore challenged by the group
• strongest male is no match for the whole group
• being the strongest male was no longer advantageous

Question 11

tyrannicide

Answer 11

killing of dominant individual who was not benefitting the group
selects against reactionary aggression and for proactive aggression

Question 12

evolution was more based on the physical environment before, what has it shifted to for humans?

Answer 12

the social environment