Lecture 11 Evolutionary Psychology

Question 1

Evolution

Answer 1

is a process of adaptation that happens to entities (can happen to all different things)

Question 2

Evolution occurs when

Answer 2

Generation of diversity (mutation, crossover)
Selective reproduction (survival and reproduction)
Transmitted Change (genetic, taught, imitated)

Question 3

Biological Evolution

Answer 3

Through natural, sexual and artificial selection. Good genes come into factor with sexual selection.

Question 4

peppered moth evolution

Answer 4

the industrial evolution turned the trees black with soot which made the white moth stick out, now thanks to this some moths have turned black and some have turned back to white same colour as tree without soot.

Question 5

Finch story

Answer 5

Jonathon Weiner found that different weather changed beaks because the finches had to adapt to eat.

Question 6

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 6

Explaining psychological traits as evolutionary adaptations.

Question 7

Adaptationism

Answer 7

Theorizing about evolutionary causes for phenotypes
Figuring out why humans are they way they are, because of evolution.
(makes it easy for us to speculate and assume why humans think the way they do)

Question 8

Predetermination

Answer 8

Mostly independent of environment (e.g eye colour)

Question 9

Exaptation

Answer 9

something evolved for one purpose is used for another. (from jaw to ear)Things must come about gradually, cant create new things out of nothing.

Question 10

Overridable

Answer 10

our ability to adapt to things like spicy or bitter food.

Question 11

Baldwin effect (predisposition)

Answer 11

Because of our environment we can evolve to get rid of certain traits like humans not having fur and learning how to make clothes.

Question 12

Cortical and Neural Recycling

Answer 12

we like the taste of aspartame even though its not beneficial to us

Question 13

Cultural feedback loops

Answer 13

Less hair leads to fewer pests,
making fire and clothing allows
it to happen

Question 14

Neoteny

Answer 14

the more neoteny there is in a species, the more offspring’s have similar traits to their adult counterparts. ( hunter gather societies tended to kill off violent members)

Question 15

Pleistocene / paleolithic time

Answer 15

Our minds evolved mostly during this time period. This turned our mind into a collection of special purpose mechanisms for dealing with specific kinds of problems.

Question 16

Mate Selection

Answer 16

Females of any species have a much greater burden to bear children, which intern causes the females to be more selective.

Question 17

Men selection

Answer 17

Men like low waist to hip ratio (0.7), and low ratios produce smarter and healthier children. this is mostly true across all cultures. The poorer the country the bigger they like their women. (because lack of food)

Question 18

Women selection

Answer 18

Women are very sensitive for smell, making it an important factor, Women prefer masculine faces when ovulating, when not more feminine faces, women also look for males with different immune systems (makes healthier children). Prefer high prestige men for long-term commitments, and more dominant men for short term sexual experiences.

Question 19

Memory

Answer 19

People tend to remember more things to do with survival and danger

Question 20

Selfish genes and kin selection

Answer 20

Married people tend to have the same traits.

Question 21

Rules

Answer 21

Human have a distinct ability to detect things that break rules.

Question 22

Our taste in Food

Answer 22

What is rare and necessary is what we enjoy to eat.