Lecture 6 Genes + psychosocial env

Question 1

What are 3 major principles of Darwin’s Theory

Answer 1

1. Heredity: characteristics passed from 1 generation to next
2. Variability: characteristics vary across members of species, some will be more successful in their env more than others, demand for resources= selective pressure
3. Natural selection: how species change (evolve), only those who can compete successfully for limited resources will survive and are more likely to reproduce and pass those genes onto next generation

Question 2

3 products of evolution

Answer 2

• Adaptations: inherited, and developing characteristics that came into existence through NS since they aided in in solving problems related to survival (ex. umbilical cord)
• By-products: characteristics that do not solve adaptive problems and don’t have functional design (ex. belly button)
• Noise: random effects produced by genetic drift and chance mutations that don’t affect survival

Question 3

Blank slate

Answer 3

human mind= blank slate at birth– learn from experience

Question 4

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 4

• patterns of beh. have evolved through NS
• ignored role of evolution in shaping human beh.
• domain-specific mental modules

Question 5

Term to refer to env in which we evolved

Answer 5

Env. of Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA)= factors that have influenced fitness during our evolution

Question 6

Problems faced with ancestral humans

Answer 6

problems of:

• survival: getting organism to point where its capable of reproducing
• mating: selecting, attracting– long enough to reproduce
• parenting: helping kids survive till they can reproduce
• aiding genetic relatives: tasks relevant to assisting non-descendant kin

Question 7

Survival example

Answer 7

behavioural immune system:

• parasites– thing that causes diseases
• disgust– can’t control
• disease avoidance

Question 8

Reproduction example

Answer 8

parental investment

- degree of PI each sex devotes to offspring

Question 9

What is parental investment (PI)

Answer 9

investment by parent in offspring, increases chance of surviving (hence reproducing)
- females= invest heavily more than men

Question 10

Female reproductive strategy

Answer 10

• F= have more to lose if mate with wrong male= thats why we are selective
• we look for: physical, beh. features
• compete with other females– want alpha male
• gain little from multiple matings– want quality, not quantity
• almost every reproductively capable f= can find mate

Question 11

Male reproductive strategy

Answer 11

• less choosy= don’t have much to lose
• have lots to gain if mate a lot
• not tied to rearing offspring= quantity
• if they want dominant f = less choosy
• male reproductive success= variable– some might achieve lots of mating, some may never mate