Week 5 - Evolutionary Psychology

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What type of strategy leads to the allocation of energy that results in the greatest fitness?

A fitness maximising strategy (correct)

A fitness minimising strategy

A somatic effort strategy

A bioenergetic strategy

In which domains are sex differences more pronounced?

Domains where fitness is maximised

Domains where sexes faced different adaptive problems (correct)

Domains where somatic effort is high

Domains where sexes faced the same adaptive problems

What is the single most important factor in natural selection?

Cultivating energy for survival

Reading and writing skills

Developing fears of threats

Producing offspring (correct)

According to life history theory, what is life about?

Capturing and allocating energy for reproduction Signup and view all the answers

What is somatic effort?

The bioenergetic and material resources devoted to continued survival of the organism Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a domain where sexes have faced similar adaptive problems?

Somatic effort Signup and view all the answers

What happens to those who develop fears of threats?

They live longer and reproduce more Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of psychological adaptations?

To accomplish particular fitness goals Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of a fitness maximising strategy?

It leads to the allocation of energy that results in the greatest fitness Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between reproductive benefits and strategies?

Reproductive benefits are equal to the population frequency of strategies Signup and view all the answers

In which domains are sex differences expected to be more pronounced?

Domains where sexes faced different adaptive problems Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of sex differences in evolutionary perspectives?

Males and females being the same or similar in many aspects Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of human nature, according to the evolutionary perspective?

Optimizing reproductive success Signup and view all the answers

What is the Good Genes Hypothesis primarily concerned with?

The relationship between symmetry and good health Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental trade-off in life history theory?

Between mating effort and parenting effort Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of individual differences in evolutionary psychology?

Analyzing the most challenging and difficult level of analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is reproductive effort, in the context of life history theory?

The resources devoted to the production of new organisms Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary way that successful psychological mechanisms spread through a population?

Through genetic transmission Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between reproductive benefits and strategies, according to life history theory?

Reproductive benefits are enhanced by investing in traits that affect fertility Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of evolutionary psychology?

Analyzing the psychological mechanisms that have evolved to help humans survive and reproduce Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of human behavior, according to the concept of 'human nature level'?

The need to belong and help others Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for by-products of adaptations that did not arise through natural selection?

Spandrels Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of allocating energy to growth now, according to the present-future reproduction trade-off?

Reduced fertility at younger ages but increased at older ages Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of bad emotions, according to the evolutionary perspective?

To facilitate survival by being aware of negatives Signup and view all the answers

What is the crucial component of survival in the context of adaptations?

Competition with others of the same species Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of father absence, according to the environmental triggers of individual differences?

Increased likelihood of pursuing short-term mating strategies Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for adaptations that are designed to solve an adaptive problem?

Domain-specificity Signup and view all the answers

What is the trade-off related to the quantity and quality of offspring, according to life history theory?

Number of offspring versus investment in each offspring Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for adaptations that initially arose through natural selection and were subsequently co-opted for another function?

Exaptations Signup and view all the answers

Why do we observe numerous psychological adaptations?

Because there are different adaptions required to solve different adaptive problems Signup and view all the answers

What is the preparedness hypothesis related to, according to evolutionary psychology?

The development of fears and phobias Signup and view all the answers

What is not a criteria for adaptation?

Desirability Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of allocating energy to future reproduction, according to the present-future reproduction trade-off?

Reduced fertility at all ages Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of individuals who pursue a short-term mating strategy, according to the environmental triggers of individual differences?

They are more likely to be muscular and large Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of adaptations in terms of reproduction?

To live long enough to pass on genes Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an exaptation?

Large size of human brain Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Terminology

Byproducts of adaptations: incidental effects of adaptations not considered as adaptations (e.g., belly button)
Adaptive: reliably allows species to adapt and reproduce
Exaptations: adaptations that initially arose for one function but were co-opted for another function (e.g., antisocial personality/drinking alcohol)
Desirable: a judgment aspect, not a criteria for adaptation
Spandrels: features that did not arise as adaptations but as side effects of adaptive processes (e.g., by-products of a large brain: reading/writing/fine arts)

Survival

Living long enough to pass on genes
Competition with others of the same species is crucial
Don't need to be the best, just better than the next person (survival of the fittest)

Reproduction

Producing offspring is the single most important factor in natural selection
Functional adaptations are designed to accomplish particular adaptive goals

Personality Psychology

Evolutionary perspectives: those who developed fears of certain things lived longer, reproduced, and passed on genes
Life history theory: life requires capturing and allocating energy
Fitness maximizing strategy: the strategy that leads to the allocation of energy that results in the greatest fitness is the one that wins out

Sex Differences

Males and females will be the same or similar in domains where sexes have faced the same or similar adaptive problems
Sex differences in domains where sexes have faced different adaptive problems (e.g., aggression, jealousy, desire for sexual variety, mate preferences)

Human Nature

Human nature is a product of evolutionary processes
Psychological mechanisms that are successful in helping humans survive and reproduce out-replicate those that are less successful
Examples of evolutionary analysis at the human nature level: need to belong, helping and altruism, universal emotions

Individual Differences

Environmental triggers of individual differences: e.g., father absence directing individuals toward short-term mating strategies
Heritable individual differences contingent on other traits: e.g., individual differences in muscularity and size influencing mating strategies
Frequency-dependent strategic individual differences: e.g., short-term and long-term sexual strategies maintained in the population at a frequency where reproductive benefits are equal

Theoretical Framework

Preparedness hypothesis: certain things in our ancestral past posed a real threat to our survival or the survival of our offspring
Life history theory: life requires capturing and allocating energy
Good genes hypothesis: symmetry is an indicator of good genes, and therefore, symmetry should be more attractive

Energy Allocation

Somatic effort: the bioenergetic and material resources devoted to continued survival of the organism
Reproductive effort: the resources devoted to the production of new organisms
Fundamental trade-offs: individuals can enhance their fitness in two ways, by investing in traits that affect the age schedule of morality or fertility
Three broad fundamental trade-offs with energy allocation:
- The present-future reproduction trade-off
- The quantity-quality trade-off of offspring
- Energy allocation to growth now vs. future reproduction

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.