Unit 1 - LAA - Evolutionary Psychology Flashcards
What does evolution mean?
Evolution refers to the changes in inherited characteristics, it’s a gradual process of how organisms and their behaviour changes over millions of years.
Charles Darwin emphasised two main concepts in evolutionary theory:
natural selection
sexual selection
Genome lag
our environment (habitat) changes a lot faster than humans.
Charles Darwin emphasised two main concepts in evolutionary theory: Natural selection and?
Sexual selection
Charles Darwin emphasised two main concepts in evolutionary theory: sexual selection and?
Natural selection
natural selection is also known as
survival of the fittest
what does natural selection explain?
how organisms adapt and change to increase their chance of survival in changing environments.
within natural selection, what must organisms compete for?
basic resources (food, water, power)
what occurs in organisms if they are successful when competing for basic resources ?
these characteristics can be passed on, which in turn ensures future generations survival.
example of natural selection
giraffes (long necks)
sexual selection refers to
characteristics that give the living organism a reproductive advantage – they make them more attractive to potential mates.
according to sexual selection, evolutionary pressures act on…
reproductive success
an example of sexual selection
peacocks (long tails with the most eyespots)
what is the environment of evolutionary adaptation (EEA) ?
EEA is the habitat (environment) in which a species (such as humans) evolved its most recent adaptations.
when did human evolution last occur
in the Pleistocene era - 10,000 years ago
