Evolution Biology Flashcards
Do we tend to have personality characteristics that helped our ancestors reproduce?
Yes
How do we select mates?
“Inclusive Fitness”
- look for mates who will increase our chances for survival and the survival of our relatives
What is kin altruism?
We are attracted to people who favor relatives b/c promotes successful passing of genes
What is reciprocal altruism
Unrelated people help each other; The risk of helping another is less than the benefit of being helped by the social network formed
- Also promotes successful passing of genes
Who do we scorn?
Cheaters and freeloaders
- people who will not help as much as they are helped
If you live in a family of 600 and there is a disease. Would you choose 200 guaranteed to live or 1/3 chance everyone survives but 2/3 chance everyone dies?
200 guarenteed
If you live in a family of 600 and there is a disease. Would you choose 400 guaranteed to die or 2/3 chance everyone survives but 1/3 chance everyone dies?
2/3 chance everyone survives but 1/3 chance everyone dies
If you live in a family of 60 and there is a disease. Would you choose 20 guaranteed to live or 1/3 chance everyone survives but 2/3 chance everyone dies?
1/3 chance everyone survives but 2/3 chance everyone dies
(clan of reduced numbers has decreased probability of surviving and passing along DNA)
If you live in a family of 60 and there is a disease. Would you choose 40 guaranteed to die or 2/3 chance everyone survives but 1/3 chance everyone dies?
2/3 chance everyone survives but 1/3 chance everyone dies
(clan of reduced numbers has decreased probability of surviving and passing along DNA)
What are some examples of traits that have little value (due to environment/society changing)
Eating sweets/high calorie foods, aggression, extreme jealousy
What are some examples of functional traits?
Negative affect: fear of snakes, heights, strangers
Positive affect: hope, laughing
What are 3 benefits of emotional abilities? (used to solidify social ties)
- See needs of others; allow us to share out goods and strengths with them
- Cooperate to protect against threat
- Social support improves immune function
What are evolved psychological mechanisms?
Processes which evolved to solve particular problems associated with survival/reproduction
Are are the 5 evolved psychological mechanisms?
- Sexual jealousy
- Sexual attraction based on appearance
- Sexual attraction based on male’s ability to provide
- Sexual attraction based on youth
- Imitation
Why does sexual jealousy exist?
It was uncertain whether children biologically resulted from the “father”
- therefore, men would pay more attention to partner’s sexual fidelity
- women more jealous of emotional bonding between partner with other women (ensure father supports family)
Why does sexual attraction based on man’s ability to provide exist?
Women only have a limited amount of time to reproduce so they want to ensure offspring are cared for
- Children with father are more likely to survive
- Affluence also predicts survival rate