Exam 6 questions Flashcards
according to the SSSM, this is a general purpose process used in all domains of knowledge
learning
psychological mechanisms are designed to solve these types of problems
adaptive problems
an example of this might be sexual behavior taking on a social communication function rather than just reproductive functions
exaptation
as opposed to “inherited”, this term refers to the degree that differences across organisms in a trait are due to genetic differences in these organisms
heritable
this term refers to individual fitness plus the effect of behavior on fitness of genetic relatives
inclusive fitness
evolved adaptations are solutions to these
adaptive problems
the majority of human adaptation occurred during this era
pleistocene epoch
it is inappropriate to assume that, in order for something to be considered an adaptation, it must be present at this time in the life history
at birth
beginning 40,000 years ago, humans began to live in towns and cities because of this
agriculture
this theory on the origin of adaptations is untestable
seeding theory
as a consequence of this specific process, existing organisms will be adapted to their environment and look like they have been designed
natural selection
choosiness in mates is strongly related to sex differences in this
parental investment
this characteristic of faces is correlated with facial attractiveness
symmetry
a wide variety of these can be derived from specific evolutionary hypotheses
predictions
this is defined as a spontaneous change in the structure of a piece of DNA
mutation
behavior may not be adaptive because this may change more rapidly than the organism can evolve
environment
Tooby and Cosmides say that this process is not an explanation, but a phenomenon that needs explaining
culture
the brain is a physical system that functions much like this mechanical device
computer
information processing by the brain frequently occurs in the absence of this, the “tip of the iceberg”
consciousness
what is a possible non-adaptive explanation of female orgasm?
that it is simply a byproduct of male orgasm due to shared developmental stages while still in utero
according to the outdated SSSM, what is the basic difference between humans and other animals?
humans are governed by culture and animals are governed by biology
what is the major cost associated with possessing a relatively large brain?
a large brain requires a lot of calories to grow and maintain and it is difficult on the mother to birth (large skull, small birth canal)
how did Williams (1966) define an adaptation?
- adaptive
- functional
- heritable
what is canalization?
the name given to how people/organisms can be funneled into displaying different traits over the life course in response to different environmental events (e.g.: early puberty in girls with absent fathers)
sex differences in this were used in class as an example of the “top-down” research strategy
parental investment
what is decoupled cognition?
phenomenon in which it is possible to “place” oneself in the future or past instead of the here and now because we have the cognitive capacity to do so
how is the smart phone a good analogy for the human mind?
they have apps that perform specific functions just like the brain does
what’s the difference between natural and sexual selection?
natural selection operates on traits that make an organism more likely to survive while sexual selection operates on traits related to reproductive success (e.g.: peacock’s tail is sexually selected because it helps to attract mates)
what is seeding theory?
it says that adaptations on Earth were brought/left here by an extraterrestrial source and other life forms
