Lecture 10: Human Behavioural Ecology Flashcards
Define ‘social Darwinism’.
The idea of survival of the fittest amongst humans. Poor people would not be allowed to breed.
What is the ‘naturalistic fallacy’?
The false belief that what is natural is inherently good or right, and what is unnatural is bad or wrong.
Why are humans considered different?
- The scale of environmental impact.
- Ability to convey ideas through language and symbols
- Religion
Why is religion thought to arise?
- By-product of large brain
- An adaptation to group living
- Avoidance of parasitism.
Why is religion so successful?
- Threat and appeasement
- The altruism trick (people are more likely to like you because they think you are a better person).
How are mates chosen?
- Relatedness
- Good genes
- Compatible genes.
Give methods of inbreeding avoidance.
- Dispersal
- Extra pair/ extra group copulations
- Delayed maturation or reproductive suppression
- Westermack effect (repulsion to inbreeding due to common exposure to relatives during critical period of infancy)
What are the problems associated with outbreeding?
- Risks associated with dispersal
- Pathogens from mate
- Break-up of co-adapted gene complexes.
What are good genes?
Genes which give the ability to produce healthy offspring. Can be demonstrated through:
- youth (female gametes accumulate damage with time)
- ornamentation
- symmetry (health indicator)
- averageness.
What are compatible genes?
When the mix of genes between two individuals is advantageous to their offspring e.g. non-identical homologues.
