Evolutionary Psychology Flashcards
Evolutionary Psychology
Predicts a universal human nature due to the challenges humans faced in our evolutionary history (pro-social behaviour, mating etc). Genes were passed on through natural selection by those who met these challenges.
Evolution and the Brain
Ancestral heritage manifests itself in brain structures which interact to develop characteristic ways of thinking and acting.
The Modular Mind
Patterns in the environment allow us to determine how people will behave in terms of modules. For example, language, mate choice, theory of mind and tool use are universal constructs. These modules are expressed in brain structures (language centres, facial recognition centres etc).
Kin Selection
Our genes are preserved through our offspring and relatives. Evidence shows that we tend to behave more pro-socially towards our close relatives. However, is this genes or social?
Reciprocal Altruism
Theoretical foundation for pro-social behaviour in non-related individuals. However, there tends to be a delay in returning the help, which necessitated the development of facial recognition and cheat detection modules.
Emotions and Altruism
Emotions reflect adaptation to behaviours that maintain altruistic behaviours. These tend to develop earliest in children. For example, moralistic anger (reaction to cheats), gratitude (thanks for being helped), sympathy (helping those in need) and guilt (for cheating).
Sexual Selection
Natural selection cannot account for everything. We select mates based on other factors such as sexual competition, investment and immune function.
Intra-sexual Competition
Out-competing members of the same sex determines mating success. Resources, ambitiousness and social dominance leads to success. Tends to be males competing with each other.
Inter-sexual Selection
Being noticed by or attractive to members of the opposite sex determines mating success. Females are able to select males based on resources, strength and parasite resistance.
MHC Theory
Major histocompatibility complex genes build our immune system and are detected through smell. We choose mates that are similar to us but have a different MHC. This promotes more pathogen resistant offspring.
Parental Investment Theory
The sex that invests more into the offspring will be more choosy when selecting a mate. The sex that invests less into the offspring will be less choosy but more competitive with their own sex to access high quality mates.
Evidence for Sexual Selection
Women are more selective about earning capacity than men. Females tend to rank financial stability and fondness of children highly whereas men rank attractiveness and cooking. Women are more willing to marry older, employed men, while men are more willing to marry young attractive females.
Epigenetics
Short term but extreme demands on an individual can shape the way their genes are expressed. This can then impact their physical and mental health. Eg Dutch Winter Children, 9/11 Babies.
Evolved Psychological Mechanisms
To understand contemporary psychology, we need to understand evolved psychological mechanisms. For example, culture, mental mechanisms, universal human nature and adaptation. These evolved through natural and sexual selection and are why we have observable patterns of behaviour.
