intro

Question 1

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 1

Applies the theory of evolution to behavior… says that our
behavioral similarities arise from our biological similarities

Believes that all human motivation derives from the desire to
spread our gene pool, and all behavior is explained by that
motivation

Gender differences

Men are attracted to young women

Women are attracted to older, more mature men

Because Overall, evolutionary psychologists say that
nature selects behavioral tendencies that
increase the likelihood of sending ones genes into the future

Question 2

Behavior Genetics

Answer 2

Study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental
influences on behavior.

To know the difference between genetic and environmental influences
on behavior, Behavior Geneticists use the following:

Identical Twins

Separated identical Twins

Adopted children

Question 3

Twin Studies

Answer 3

Identical twins..

develop from a single fertilized egg
and are genetically identical

Fraternal twins…

develop from separate eggs and are no
more similar genetically than ordinary
siblings

Research has found that
identical twins are much more
similar than fraternal twins in
many ways such as abilities,
personalities and interests

Question 4

Separated Twins

Answer 4

Minnesota Twins Project at the University of Minnesota…research done
by Thomas J. Bouchard

Research began in 1979 & focused on identical twins reared-apart

Research still ongoing…studied over 100 pairs of identical twins
separated at birth

Bouchard reported that heredity accounted for 64-74% of the
differences seen in IQ between the identical twins

Question 5

Adoption Studies

Answer 5

Adoptees personality traits are more similar to their biological parents
than their adoptive parents…yet parents do influence their children’s
attitudes, values, manners, faith and politics

And adoptive children tend to score higher on intelligence tests
than their biological parents as well as tend to be more self-giving
and altruistic

Question 6

Heritability (Difference due to GENES)

Answer 6

Extent to which differences in appearance of a trait is due to the
differences in their genes (therefore not due to their environment)

The more inherited a trait is…the less heritable it is as heritability looks at how
traits are due to the DIFFERENCES in ones genes

For example…identical twins have a low (near 0) heritability, because the
variation in their behavior CANNOT be accounted for by genetic difference
(because they are carbon copies genetically)

But the difference between my personality and yours is highly heritable
because we have different genes

Question 7

Environmental Influences

Answer 7

It’s easy to say that how the environment impacts
behavior is all based on the “way you’re raised,”
meaning it’s all about the parents.

Prenatal environment

Experience and brain development

Peer influence

Culture

Gender
and more

Question 8

Prenatal Influences

Answer 8

Nurture doesn’t begin at birth – it begins in the womb!

if mother takes drugs, has an illness and even excessive amounts of
stress can influence the developing fetus

Question 9

Experience and Brain Development

Answer 9

Experience helps develop brain’s neural connections

if live in an enriched environment, rats developed a heavier and thicker brain
cortex

seems to hold true for children as well…infants who were handled more
gained weight more rapidly and developed faster neurologically

If not stimulated, maturing

brain operates on the

“use it or lose it” principle

Question 10

Peer Influence - “selection effect”

Answer 10

kids choose friends similar to themselves

🡪 At least similar in the “important ways”

Question 11

Peer Influence

Answer 11

Nature does seem to play a role in the influence of peers

🡪 It is with our peers that we spend most of our time playing,
working and mating, so nature predisposes us to be sensitive to their
styles and opinions

Parental and peer influence seem to be complimentary in shaping
one’s lives

Parents influence our ideas on/sense of education, discipline,
responsibility, orderliness, charitableness, ways of interacting with
authority, and future plans

Peers influence our ideas on/sense of cooperation, popularity,
interaction among others our age

Question 12

Culture

Answer 12

Cultures differ…which in turn causes us to differ

Norms – rules for accepted and expected behavior – different
norms often confuse us

1. Personal space: zone we like to maintain around our bodies
2. Levels of expressiveness (ways we express emotions,
   thoughts and feelings)
3. Our pace of life

Question 13

culture - Individualism

Answer 13

Western cultures – want kids to think for
themselves, be independent, be true to yourself, set your own
personal goals

Question 14

culture - Collectivism

Answer 14

Asian and African cultures – communal cultures
that emphasize family honor and dignity (if you shame yourself,
you shame your family), greater concern for social harmony, and
tend to be more shy with strangers

Although differences exist, there are a lot of similarities within a
culture

Question 15

gender roles

Answer 15

gender roles – expectations about the way men
and women behave
Vary across cultures as well as over time

Question 16

gender identity

Answer 16

– sense of being male or female
(how you identify yourself)

Question 17

gender-typed

Answer 17

acquisition of masculine or
feminine role (how you acquire your
gender identity…what you do or learn in
order to be masculine or feminine)

Question 18

Traditional Gender Roles
- female

Answer 18

expected to be shy, passive, nurturing,
dependent, dainty, and emotional

expected to depend on the men in their
lives and when it comes to sex, expected to
be naive and passive

expected to comfort and care for husband
and children and maintain family harmony
– the “stay at home mom” was the norm

Question 19

Traditional Gender Roles
- male

Answer 19

expected to be leaders, be independent,
take control, make decisions, hold back
emotions, and be to physically strong

expected to be the “breadwinner” and
support their family financially as well
as be “head of the household”

in relationships with women, expected
to take the initiative

Question 20

Social Learning Theory

Answer 20

children learn gender-linked behaviors by
observing and imitating as well as through rewards and punishments

not necessarily all based on the messages that children get from
their parents as research has shown that even if parents discourage
traditional gender roles, children often organize themselves into
girls and boys roles

Question 21

Gender Schema Theory

Answer 21

social learning theory + cognition –
children learn from their cultures a concept of what it means to be
male/female and adjust their behavior accordingly

you compare yourself with your concept of gender…boys might
not do a sewing project at summer camp because they perceive that
as a “girly” thing