Lecture 1a - Evolutionary psychology

Question 1

Why does a trait become more common throughout a generation?

Answer 1

If a trait increases someone’s reproductive success then they are more likely to have more viable offspring that will therefore carry the trait and pass it onto their offspring

Question 2

Why is natural selection only a partial explanation ? [4]

Answer 2

• adaptations can be over ridden by things like environment
• new environments can create maladaptive behaviours for example diseases, introducing alcohol to the Inuit population
• some things just happen, like bones haven’t evolved to be white they simply are because of what they are made of
• there are other factors like religion and ideology which can cause a dramatic change in behaviour much quicker than evolution.

Question 3

Define maladaptive

Answer 3

Reduces your reproductive success

Question 4

Define fertility

Answer 4

How many children you actually have.

Question 5

What’s the mismatch concept ?

Answer 5

Contemporary life is very different to the ecological and social environment of our ancestors which is what we are adapted for. Therefore an adaptive trait can become maladaptive in our current environment.

Question 6

What can intelligence and personality affect?

Answer 6

Human health, longevity of life and fertility

Question 7

What is individual differences?

Answer 7

The main ways that you can tell humans apart / how they differ. Two main ways - in personality and in intelligence

Question 8

Give two definitions for how intelligence and personality explain two different aspects of humans

Answer 8

1) Intelligence is about the efficiency of the brain and personality is about what the brain is designed to do.

2) intelligence is general - the level of intelligence affects many different specific abilities
Personality is a kind of pattern for things like motivations, preferences and satisfactions

Question 9

What is a computer analogy for personality and intelligence

Answer 9

Intelligence is like the processing speed and personality is like the types of apps you use , more creative ones like photoshop or maths ones like excel.

Question 10

How do you measure intelligence?

Answer 10

Using IQ tests

Question 11

How do you measure personality?

Answer 11

Either someone rates you or you self-rate

Question 12

What is evolutionary psychology ?

Answer 12

Aspects of human nature that are shaped by natural selection