Topic 7 - Evolutionary Psychology Flashcards
Does EP focus on proximate mechanisms?
Yes, EP incorporates more proximate mechanisms.
Is EP experimental in nature?
Yes, it is not limited to observing like HBE.
Is EP concerned with ecological validity?
Not really.
What are human universals?
Universal elements of cognition. EP studies how these are adaptive.
How does EP see the mind?
As information-processing machine, designed by natural selection to solve problems.
What is the EEA?
Environment of Evolutionary Adaptation.
What is the brain for EP?
An information-processing machine which generates behaviour appropriate to the environmental circumstances.
What are our neural circuits designed for according to EP?
They are designed by natural selection to solve
problems faced by our ancestors.
According to EP, is everything that happens in the mind conscious?
Not, it’s mostly subconscious.
According to EP, what are modules?
Different neural circuits are specialised in solving different adaptive problems.
According to EP, are our minds still the same as they were thousands of years ago?
Yes.
Is behaviour domain-specific, according to EP?
Yes, due to the presence of modules.
What does the SSSM say and is it in contrast with EP?
The SSSM states that we are born with no instincts and that all behaviours are determined by culture. This is in great contrast with EP.
Are we facing our adaptive problems nowadays?
No, they are in the past.
Does EP lack ecological validity?
Yes, studies are all lab-based because the EEA is no longer present.
