exam 3: human diversity

Question 1

evidence for similarity (2) and differences (3) in humans

Answer 1

• similarity: biological heritage, behavioral tendencies
• differences: appearance, sound, psychological experiences

Question 2

differences are more likely to…

Answer 2

attract attention

Question 3

behavior genetics

Answer 3

interested in the relative influence of heredity and the environment on behavior

Question 4

heredity

Answer 4

our genes (genetic makeup) that get passed down by our biological mother and father

Question 5

environment

Answer 5

every nongenetic influence (from prenatal nutrition to the social experiences to which we are exposed over the duration of our life)

Question 6

types of experiments to study behavior genetics (2) and what they allow for

Answer 6

• home environment is held constant and heredity is allowed to vary (allows us to assess the influence of our genes on behavior)
• heredity is held constant and the home environment is allowed to vary (allows us to assess the influence of the environment on our behavior)

Question 7

identical twins are much more similar to one another than are fraternal twins on measures of…

Answer 7

personality and social behavior

Question 8

the groups that are of interest to behavior geneticists through adoption (2) and how they are similar to the adopted children

Answer 8

• genetic relatives/biological parents and siblings (similar in personality)
• environmental relatives/adoptive parents and siblings (attitudes, values, manners, faith, politics)

Question 9

heritability

Answer 9

the extent to which variation among individuals can be attributed to their varying genes

Question 10

evolutionary psychology

Answer 10

the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind (if species have evolved biologically (behavior/outward appearance), then it stands to reason that species has evolved psychologically)

Question 11

behavior genetics vs evolutionary psychology

Answer 11

• behavior genetics: interested in the causes of human differences
• evolutionary psychology: interested in human similarity

Question 12

who proposed natural selection and why

Answer 12

proposed by Charles Darwin to explain the biological origin of species

Question 13

philosophical tenents that underly natural selection (4)

Answer 13

• offspring compete with one another for survival
• chances of reproduction and survival are enhanced or diminished by certain variations in our biology and behavior
• offspring that survive are more likely to reproduce and, through reproduction, pass their genes onto future generations of offspring
• “survival of the fittest” results in changes in population characteristics over time

Question 14

gender differences in sexuality, in views on sexuality, and in mating preferences

Answer 14

• sexuality: men are more likely to initiate sexual activity, perceive a warm response as a sexual come-on, and engage in casual, uncommitted sex
• views on sexuality: women view sex more in relational terms and tend to prefer a committed partner; men view sex in more recreational terms and tend to focus on pleasure and sexual gratification rather than a committed partner
• mating preferences: men tend to prefer women with smooth skin and a youthful shape, teenage men prefer older women, older men prefer younger women (peak age for fertility); women prefer men who are willing to commit to them and father offspring and men who are mature, dominant, bold, and affluent

Question 15

Clark and Hatfield (1989)

Answer 15

At Florida State University, a research student asked people to go to bed with them. 0% of the women accepted the offer; 75% of the men accepted the offer. This was replicated once in 1982 and twice in the late 1980s (high point for HIV and aids epidemic).

Question 16

gender similarity (4) and differences (3)

Answer 16

• similarity: genetic makeup (with the exception of x vs y chromosome); levels of intelligence, vocabularies, happiness
• differences: physical (women enter puberty 2 years earlier, live 5 years longer, carry more body fat and less muscle mass, and grow 5 inches less than men); psychological (women are more prone to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders; men are more prone to alcoholism, suicide completion, autism, colorblindness, ADHD, and antisocial personality disorder); social (men admit more aggression, commit more aggression, and tend to be more socially dominant; women have greater empathy and emotional intelligence and are more interdependent)

Question 17

culture definition and functions (3)

Answer 17

• definition: the behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions that are shared by a group of people
• functions: facilitates our species’ survival and reproduction; enables social and economic systems that give an adaptive advantage; promotes the preservation of our innovation

Question 18

types of culture (2)

Answer 18

• individualist: value personal achievement; emphasis on individual rights and liberties (casual and temporary relationships; identity defined in terms of personal traits; strive for personal control and individual achievement)
• collectivist: value on group goals and group solidarity; emphasis on group norms and customs (more enduring and long-lasting relationships; identity defined according to group membership; strive to maintain social connections, fit in, and perform one’s role in society)