Lecture 2: Biological Basis of Social Behaviour Flashcards
What is the biological basis view? What theory does it stem from?
According to this view, we are born “prewired” or predisposed to behave socially.
This stems from the evolutionary theory
What is natural selection?
Organisms in this case are well-equipped to cope with the environmental challenges to survival
What is a genetic endowment?
Inherited predisposition or biological structure we receive for natural selection.
In this case, we different makeup according to environmental needs.
What is evolutionary theory 1
Natural Selection
What is evolutionary theory 2?
Fitness
What constitutes fitness? How does it differ with humans?
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)
What is sociobiology? *3 points
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
What are the three aspects of evolutionary theory that must be emphasized?
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
What is an ecological niche?
adaptation of species competing within the same ecological niche
How are organisms predisposed for social behavior?
Fixed action patterns
What is a fixed action pattern?
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
How are reflexes different from fixed action patterns?
Fixed actions patterns are different reflexes as they can be modified by the environment > reflexes are constant
Characteristics of Food (rooting response)
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
Characteristics of smiling
Fixed action pattern that enhances the attractiveness of the infant and ensure further attention which leads to a whole chain of interactions
Characteristics of crying
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).
What do a;l fixed action patterns have in common?
They all ensure they receive attention from caregivers which ensures their survival
What is Reciprocal adaption?
The relationship between baby and parent goes in both ways and changes due to mutual adaptation.
What are the characteristics we inherit through genetic transmission? *4
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)
What is behavioral genetics? How does it work?
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
Family studies in genetically related individuals criteria and flaw
- Should be similar phenotypically
- you cannot separate environmental from genetic influences
Twin study 1 + findings
- 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
-
What have heritability factors been found for?
- IQ
- personality
- behavior problems
- vocational interests
- social attitudes
Twin study 2 (what is the correction?)
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.
Twin study 2 (extension of the design) and findings
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.
