Lecture 2: Biological Basis of Social Behaviour

Question 1

What is the biological basis view? What theory does it stem from?

Answer 1

According to this view, we are born “prewired” or predisposed to behave socially.

This stems from the evolutionary theory

Question 2

What is natural selection?

Answer 2

Organisms in this case are well-equipped to cope with the environmental challenges to survival

Question 3

What is a genetic endowment?

Answer 3

Inherited predisposition or biological structure we receive for natural selection.
In this case, we different makeup according to environmental needs.

Question 4

What is evolutionary theory 1

Answer 4

Natural Selection

Question 5

What is evolutionary theory 2?

Answer 5

Fitness

Question 6

What constitutes fitness? How does it differ with humans?

Answer 6

Being better likely to survive and meet environmental challenges.
Meaning the most adaptive characteristics among species will prevail straightening own species in the long run through the reproduction of the fittest

Fitness among humans changes overtime as favorable characteristics *being strong vs now needing to be smart)

Question 7

What is sociobiology? *3 points

Answer 7

1 > attempt to organize facts about the adaptive significance of social behaviour in both animals and humans

2 > systematic study of the biological basis of all forms of social behaviour (ex. sexual or parental behaviour)

3 > behaviour is dominated by a genetically based urge to produce the maximum number of successful offspring

Question 8

What are the three aspects of evolutionary theory that must be emphasized?

Answer 8

1 > evolution concepts apply as much to behavior as to structural characteristics

2 > the adaptation of a species is always to a particular kind of environment > ecological niche

3 > A rigid distinction between what is innate and what is acquired is meaningless in this account as both factors are equally intertwined

Question 9

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 9

adaptation of species competing within the same ecological niche

Question 10

How are organisms predisposed for social behavior?

Answer 10

Fixed action patterns

Question 11

What is a fixed action pattern?

Answer 11

They are behaviors that have to be functional early in life otherwise the species won’t survive (animals in a herd need to walk quickly to follow the herd, predisposed with that type of coordination)

Specific stimuli activate them

Question 12

How are reflexes different from fixed action patterns?

Answer 12

Fixed actions patterns are different reflexes as they can be modified by the environment > reflexes are constant

Question 13

Characteristics of Food (rooting response)

Answer 13

When the mouth touches the breast, the baby moves their head from side to side to find the breast.
The action of the head moving side to side to find the breast stimulates breast to produce milk
Eventually, the child will know how to look for the breast by ASKING which eliminates the need for fixed action responses

Question 14

Characteristics of smiling

Answer 14

Fixed action pattern that enhances the attractiveness of the infant and ensure further attention which leads to a whole chain of interactions

Question 15

Characteristics of crying

Answer 15

This is a built-in social signaling device. It is an internal stimulus motivating babies to cry due to hunger/full diapers (a specific need).

Question 16

What do a;l fixed action patterns have in common?

Answer 16

They all ensure they receive attention from caregivers which ensures their survival

Question 17

What is Reciprocal adaption?

Answer 17

The relationship between baby and parent goes in both ways and changes due to mutual adaptation.

Question 18

What are the characteristics we inherit through genetic transmission? *4

Answer 18

1 > Features common to our entire species (features we inherent in all of us)

2 > Features that distinguish us as individuals (skin tone, height)

3 > Development process common to species (maturation, crawling before walking, orderly developmental process)

4 > Variations in the developmental process (ex. going through puberty at different times)

Question 19

What is behavioral genetics? How does it work?

Answer 19

Uses heredity similarity and environmental similarity/variability to predict psychological traits in human individuals

It compares the extent of genetic and environmental influences.
Claims that variation in heritable features is influenced by genetic features.

It assesses the psychological features of people with various degrees of genetic similarity

Question 20

Family studies in genetically related individuals criteria and flaw

Answer 20

• Should be similar phenotypically
• you cannot separate environmental from genetic influences

Question 21

Twin study 1 + findings

Answer 21

• Monozygotic (identical twins) are compared to dizygotic twins (fraternal)
• Assumption that they share the same environment
• They find that differences between monozygotic twins are due to environmental factors whereas differences between dizygotic twins are due to a combination of both hereditary factors and environmental

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Question 22

What have heritability factors been found for?

Answer 22

• IQ
• personality
• behavior problems
• vocational interests
• social attitudes

Question 23

Twin study 2 (what is the correction?)

Answer 23

The problem in twin study 1 is the assumption that all twins share the same environment. There are more environmental differences for dizygotic since they aren’t necessarily the same sex. Monozygotic twins are more likely to share the same environment than dizygotic twins.

Question 24

Twin study 2 (extension of the design) and findings

Answer 24

To study twins reared apart and make similar comparisons.
Findings are that at least in some personality
measures monozygotic twins reared apart are more similar to dizygotic twins reared together

This shows a strong hereditary component for personality
traits.

Question 25

Study on the degree to which someone reacts emotionally (phenotype)

Answer 25

All watch a movie and ask them to answer > to what degree does this scene make you feel emotional > answered on a scale of 1-10

Findings > Individuals similar to one another because of their genotype are also more similar on a phenotypical level for emotionality
High kinship > emotionality is behavioral
Weren’t able to separate the two genes

Question 26

What are some conclusions?

Answer 26

1 > All psychological traits show some evidence of the genetic influence
2 > non-shared environmental influences are of greater importance than shared environmental influences
3 > children’s development depends primarily on heredity (good enough parenting)
4 > Children’s genetic makeup directly affects their rearing environment