EVOLUTION 1/2 Flashcards
1
Q
Evolutionary psychology
A
- Explicit attention to contemporary knowledge and theory about the evolutionary process.
- Approach the study of the mind through a lense of evolutionary biology.
EX. How brains and behaviour developed in terms of forces of natural and sexual selection
2
Q
Adaptive Radiation
A
- single ancestor species diversifies into various forms to exploit different ecological niches.
EX. the Galapagos Islands provided a unique environment for the adaptive radiation of Darwin’s finches, leading to the evolution of various forms with specialized adaptations to different ecological niches. This process serves as a classic example of how isolation and the availability of unexploited niches can drive rapid and diverse evolutionary changes in a population.
3
Q
Natural selection
A
- Organisms which are better adapted to their enviornment tend to surivive and produce more offspring thus continuing/ increasing the behavioural or physical trait within the population
EX. The only finches that were capable of cracking them open were birds who happened to have unusually big beaks. the birds that survived and bred were those with large beaks.
4
Q
Heritable
A
- When characterisitics can be transmissible (genetically) from parent to offspring.
EX. offspring tend to resemble their parents in this trait. Th
5
Q
Adaptation
A
- ## A process by which organisms become better suited to their environment and thereby increase their reproductive success.
6
Q
Fitness
A
- Organisms and reproductive success, their ability to reproduce and survive in a particular environment.
7
Q
Phenotype
A
- The observable characteristics, both physical and behavioural, of an organism resultig from the interaction of its genotype and the environment.
8
Q
Functionality
A
- Adaptations are economic and efficient
- Our current traits exist because they have been inherited from ancestors with better reproductive success (better genes lead to greater chances of survival and reproduction).
9
Q
Sexual selection
A
- Natural selection within the mating domain, represented by preferences by one sex for particular characteristics in the opposite sex.
10
Q
Intrasexual selection
A
- Competition within individuals over access of the opposite sex (bucks)
11
Q
Intersexual selection
A
- Competition within individuals to capture the interest of the other sex (mate choice: one sex chooses which member to mate with based on attractiveness traits)
12
Q
Cues
fluctuating asymmetry
A
- Measures subtle left-right differences in traits.
- Potential cue to fertility and quality.
- More symmetric individuals may be better adapted and possess higher genetic fitness.
- Reflects an evolutionary perspective on trait indicators.
- Suggests ability to withstand challenges, maintain health, and reproductive success.
13
Q
Infidenlity
Sexual jealousy
A
- feelings of anger and a desire to guard a mate or sexual prospect from engaging in sexual activity with potential rivals.
- Men should be more prone than women
- Common motive of domestic violence
14
Q
Infidelity
Romantic jealousy
A
- feelings of anger and a desire to guard a mate or sexual prospect from leaving the relationship to form a new one with potential rivals.
- women risk losing fitness when their mates take resources out of the relationship and invest those resources into relationships with other women.
15
Q
Genetic Relatedness
A
- We help the propagation of our own genes by helping those who share our genes—our genes will still be copied to a large degree.
- The costs must be less than the benefits (as a factor of genetic relatedness).
Hamilton’s Rule: rB > C - overall fitness is determined by both direct and indirect fitness.
