Evolutionary Psychology Lecture 1

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Questions and Answers

What is the reason behind the usurping male killing the dependent infants in a heterosexual group?

To accelerate the reproduction of the resident females (correct)

Due to a pathology in the male's behavior

To eliminate competition for resources

To control the population size

What is the likely reason for the evolution of reproductive-acceleration adaptation in species with 'harem' mating systems?

As a result of resource competition

Due to a pathology in the species' behavior

To aid the reproduction of the killer male (correct)

To control population size

How do adaptations arise in species?

Through genetic drift and random chance

Through genetic mutations and natural selection (correct)

Through environmental pressures and social learning

Through the influence of other species

What is the definition of adaptation?

A trait that exists because it contributed to reproduction in ancestral populations Signup and view all the answers

What is a necessary condition for the effectiveness of bias in producing adaptation?

Low rate of endogenous change relative to the degree of bias Signup and view all the answers

What is required for evolution by natural selection?

Variation, heritability, and quantitative relationship Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Evolutionary Psychology?

The synthesis of evolutionary biology, biological anthropology, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of natural selection in evolution?

It builds adaptations through differential reproduction Signup and view all the answers

What is a prerequisite for evolution by natural selection?

Variation, heritability, and a quantitative relationship Signup and view all the answers

What does evolution by natural selection build?

Designs for reproduction Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of adaptive evolution?

Natural selection Signup and view all the answers

What is the essence of the genetical theory of natural selection?

A statistical bias in the relative rates of survival of alternatives Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of adaptive evolution?

Adaptations Signup and view all the answers

What is a replicator?

A gene Signup and view all the answers

Why do usurping males commit infanticide in harem species?

To accelerate the reproduction of the resident females Signup and view all the answers

Why is heritability important in adaptive evolution?

It constrains the development of adaptations Signup and view all the answers

Why is selection better at building adaptations when the vehicles are individuals?

Because the replicators in an individual have a shared reproductive fate Signup and view all the answers

What is the likely outcome of the reproductive-acceleration adaptation in species with 'harem' mating systems?

Increased reproduction of the resident females Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate result of natural selection?

Adaptations that benefit the gene Signup and view all the answers

Who is credited with explaining infanticide in animals?

Sarah Hrdy Signup and view all the answers

What is the social structure of common langurs?

Heterosexual groups with one adult male and multiple females Signup and view all the answers

What constrains adaptive evolution?

Heritability Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of heritability in evolution by natural selection?

It is a prerequisite for evolution Signup and view all the answers

What can natural selection not build?

Adaptations with no heritable basis Signup and view all the answers

What is a key factor in the explanation of infanticide in common langurs?

Related females defending their infants Signup and view all the answers

What is adaptation?

A trait that exists because it contributed to reproduction in ancestral populations Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of natural selection in explanations of biology?

It is the basis for framing explanations in biology Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between replicators and vehicles?

Replicators are genes and vehicles are individuals or groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the main distinction between proximate and ultimate explanations in biology?

Proximate explanations focus on development, while ultimate explanations focus on function. Signup and view all the answers

What does a norm of reaction for a facultative trait describe?

How a particular aspect of the phenotype is responding to a specific feature of the environment. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between facultative responses and susceptibilities?

Facultative responses are adaptations, while susceptibilities are not. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind the concept of 'expectations' in evolutionary psychology?

Genes have expectations about the kinds of environments they will encounter. Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of the mismatch between our ancestral environment and modern diet?

We are triggering a wide array of susceptibilities to novel foods. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main criticism of the Standard Social Science Model (SSSM)?

It assumes that human behavior is solely shaped by experience. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument against the idea that biological constraints on human behavior are minimal?

The existence of human universals suggests a basic human nature. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main distinction between evolutionary psychology and traditional psychology?

Evolutionary psychology focuses on ultimate causes, while traditional psychology focuses on proximate causes. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind the concept of facultative adaptations?

Facultative adaptations are flexible responses to environmental cues. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main implication of the SSSM's idea that the human mind is a blank slate?

The human mind can respond to experience without any pre-programmed rules. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main criticism of the SSSM's view on biological constraints on human behavior?

Biological constraints on human behavior are minimal Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument against the SSSM's view of general-purpose learning mechanisms?

There is no general-purpose problem to be solved Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between psychology and biology according to the critique of the SSSM?

Psychology is biology Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the SSSM and EP views on human nature?

The SSSM views human nature as a blank slate, while EP views it as a collection of specialized modules Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of culture according to the EP view?

Culture is both dependent and independent, influencing and being influenced by human behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the main criticism of the SSSM's view of culture?

Culture is arbitrary and infinitely variable Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of the human mind according to the critique of the SSSM?

It is a content-rich system with domain-specific modules Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between fitness and proximate goals according to the critique of the SSSM?

Fitness explains why certain proximate goals are motivators Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument against the SSSM's view of human behavior?

It ignores the role of adaptation and natural selection Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the SSSM and EP views on the role of environment in shaping human behavior?

The SSSM views environment as a separate entity, while EP views it as an interacting entity with genes Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of psychological traits as adaptations?

To contribute to fitness in ancestral environments Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of the function of psychological traits as adaptations?

Specialized and domain-specific Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the umami taste receptor?

To detect protein Signup and view all the answers

How are psychological traits as adaptations formed?

Cumulatively, by the selective retention of favorable mutations Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism used by bats to navigate and find prey in the dark?

Echolocation Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of psychological traits as adaptations?

They contribute to the perpetuation of the underlying genes Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the 'send/receive' technology in bats' echolocation?

To prevent deafening themselves Signup and view all the answers

What is true about psychological adaptations?

They seem 'effortless' and are often not conscious Signup and view all the answers

What is the common characteristic of the Ponzo, Muller-Lyer, and Kanizsa illusions?

They are all optical illusions Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of sensation and perception?

They are domain-specific and localized to particular brain areas Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason for the overestimation of vertical distances in humans?

To decrease vertical navigation frequency Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the senses?

To guide action in response to risks and opportunities Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is TRUE about human detection abilities?

Humans are equally good at detecting anything mobile Signup and view all the answers

What is a feature of the visual sense?

It is limited to the visible spectrum Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of classical conditioning?

Associations are made between events that occur together Signup and view all the answers

What is unique about the sense of smell in birds?

It is used to detect the Earth's magnetic field Signup and view all the answers

How many olfactory receptor genes are found in humans?

Around 400 Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of operant conditioning?

The process by which behaviors are reinforced or punished Signup and view all the answers

What is the key characteristic of adaptive modularity?

It takes advantage of real-world physical patterns Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of learning in the context of evolutionary biology?

The modification of behavior by experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of psychological adaptations?

To design mechanisms that ordinarily maximize fitness Signup and view all the answers

What is the main concept studied in behavioral genetics?

Heritability Signup and view all the answers

What does the equation Vp = Vg + Ve represent?

The sum of genetic and environmental factors affecting a trait Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of heritability (h2)?

The ratio of genetic variation to total phenotypic variation Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of estimating heritability?

To estimate the amount of phenotypic variation due to genetic differences Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to understand the evolutionary origins of human behavior?

To predict and prepare for natural disasters Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of genes in the context of evolution?

To encode programs that influence behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of music being classified as a human universal?

It provides evidence for the evolution of human social behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of selection in evolution?

To favor certain traits over others Signup and view all the answers

What is the requirement for evolution by natural selection?

Phenotypic variation in a trait Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of language, according to Pinker?

to communicate propositional information Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between operant conditioning and Pavlovian conditioning?

The role of temporal contiguity Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of conversation is about the behavioral tendencies of mutual associates?

10-12% Signup and view all the answers

What is the key factor in Hamilton's rule?

The degree of relatedness between the individuals Signup and view all the answers

What drives language change over time?

Slippage in each generation and cultural transmission Signup and view all the answers

Why are hummingbirds better at shift learning than stay learning?

The exact reason is not specified in the content Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of natural selection in the evolution of language?

It builds language capacity because of its contribution to reproductive success Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of phonemes in language?

To serve as meaning-distinguishing sounds Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of adaptive evolution?

Natural selection Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between language and the capacity for language?

Language is the ability to communicate, while the capacity for language is the cognitive machinery Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the individual and their genetic relatives in kin selection?

They have a shared interest in spreading their genes Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of language?

The ability to convey complex ideas through a combination of sounds Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of natural selection in the evolution of language abilities?

It shapes the cognitive machinery that supports language Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between Pavlovian conditioning and learning in desert ants?

The use of proprioceptive cues Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of language change?

The loss of the subjunctive mood Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of adaptive evolution according to the content?

The increase in frequency of beneficial traits Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between language and the environment?

The environment has no impact on language Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of natural selection in the evolution of language, according to the content?

It builds language capacity because of its contribution to reproductive success Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of morphemes?

They are combinations of phonemes that convey meaning Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between human language and animal communication?

Humans communicate through a complex system of symbols, while animals communicate through instinct Signup and view all the answers

What is the suggested first step in the development of language?

Noun-verb relations Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between genetic factors, selective pressures, and the emergence of language in human evolution?

The relationship is cumulative and involves the interaction of both Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of research strategies combining GWAS studies of specific language impairments with ancient-DNA studies?

To investigate the relationship between genetic factors and language emergence Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of the 'big 5' personality factors being more differentiated in socio-ecologically complex societies?

That personality is shaped by environmental factors Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of evolutionary psychology in explaining the development of personality in individuals?

It provides a framework for understanding the universal aspects of human personality Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind Steven Pinker's analysis of language as an adaptation to the cognitive niche?

That language emerged as an adaptation to the cognitive niche Signup and view all the answers

What is true about language development in children?

Children deduce language rules from samples of language they hear. Signup and view all the answers

What is a pidgin?

A grammatically and morphemically impoverished communication system. Signup and view all the answers

What is specific language impairment (SLI)?

A language difficulty unrelated to general intelligence or hearing. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between language abilities and the brain?

Language abilities are localized to specific parts of the brain. Signup and view all the answers

What is the proposed explanation for the evolution of language abilities?

Natural selection built complex, integrated language abilities. Signup and view all the answers

What is the evidence for the evolution of language abilities?

The recent selection for genes associated with language ability. Signup and view all the answers

What is true about the process of language development in children?

Children learn language rules gradually, through a series of incremental steps. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between language and general intelligence?

Language abilities are independent of general intelligence. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of FOXP2 in language development?

FOXP2 is a gene that is involved in language development, but not essential. Signup and view all the answers

What is the likely evolutionary scenario for the origin of language?

Language evolved gradually, through a series of incremental steps. Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the smallest unit of language that has a distinct meaning?

Morpheme Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of syntax in language?

To form and interpret sequences of morphemes Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of having a small set of distinguishable sounds in a language?

It reduces the likelihood of confusion between similar sounds Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the characteristic of language that allows for the formation of complex sentences and ideas?

Syntax Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of combining a small set of distinguishable sounds to form unique strings for each concept?

A unique string for each concept Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of language that allows for the formation of complex ideas and sentences?

Syntax Signup and view all the answers

What is the evidence that suggests language is an adaptation rather than a side effect?

The universality of language across cultures Signup and view all the answers

What is the area of the brain associated with language processing?

Perisylvian region Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of damage to Broca's area?

Difficulty with language production Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of language that allows for the formation of complex sentences and ideas, and is unique to humans?

Syntax Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Evolutionary Psychology (EP)

EP is the evolutionary biology of mind, brain, and behavior, synthesizing evolutionary biology, biological anthropology, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience.

Adaptive Evolution

Adaptive evolution is a special kind of change caused by natural selection.
It builds adaptations, constrained by heritability, and cannot build things that are not heritable or do not contribute to reproduction.

Infanticide in langurs

In langurs, infanticide is committed by usurping males to accelerate the reproduction of resident females.
This behavior is likely an adaptation that has evolved repeatedly in similar environments.

Natural Selection

Natural selection is the differential reproduction of heritable elements due to better or worse fit with the environment.
It builds adaptations that are good for the replication of genes.

Prerequisites for Evolution by Natural Selection

There must be variation, which is sufficiently heritable and affects its own rate of replication.
There must be a quantitative relationship between the variants and their replication rates.

Adaptations and Gene-Centered View

Adaptations are traits that exist because they contributed to reproduction in ancestral populations.
Genes are replicators that build vehicles (individuals) with adaptations to propagate themselves.

Proximate vs. Ultimate Explanations

Proximate explanations focus on mechanisms and ontogeny (how a trait develops).
Ultimate explanations focus on adaptation, function, and phylogeny (why a trait exists).

Difference between EP and Traditional Psychology

EP focuses on ultimate explanations, while traditional psychology focuses on proximate explanations.
EP considers the role of experience and culture in shaping human behavior, while traditional psychology emphasizes the SSSM (Standard Social Science Model).

Critique of SSSM

SSSM views the human mind as a blank slate, shaped by experience, with minimal biological constraints.
EP argues that the mind is not a blank slate, but rather a collection of specialized modules built by natural selection.

Human Nature and Culture

EP views human nature as a collection of psychological adaptations built by natural selection.
Culture is not an independent variable, but rather a dependent variable shaped by human nature.

Behavioral Genetics

Behavioral genetics studies the genetic basis of behavioral traits.
Heritability is the proportion of phenotypic variation due to genetic differences.### Evolutionary Psychology and Adaptations
Evolutionary psychology is a field of study that examines how human behavior and cognition have evolved to solve adaptive problems.
Psychological traits are adaptations that have been preserved by selection because of their contribution to fitness in ancestral environments.
These traits are specialized, domain-specific, and have been formed cumulatively through the selective retention of favorable mutations.

Sensation and Perception

Sensation and perception are "poster children" for domain-specific adaptations, as each sense is specialized to handle particular kinds of input.
The senses have evolved to exploit different categories of cues in the environment.
Examples of sensory adaptations include:
- Cryptochrome proteins in birds, which allow them to see the Earth's magnetic field.
- Bat sonar, which uses high-frequency sounds to navigate and locate prey.
- Human vision, which uses a narrow portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Learning and Adaptation

Learning is a modification of behavior by experience, and is not necessarily a direct reflection of the environment.
There are different types of learning, including associative learning and operant conditioning.
Learning is an adaptation that has evolved to facilitate adaptive behavioral adjustments.

Language as an Adaptation

Language is an adaptation that has evolved to communicate propositional information (who did what to whom, what is true of what, when, where, and why).
The function of language is to transfer complex understandings about the world from one brain to another.
Language is not an adaptive outcome of natural selection, but rather the cognitive and articulatory machinery that allows humans to learn and use language has evolved via natural selection.

Features of Language

Phonemes are meaningless but meaning-distinguishing sounds that can be combined to express infinite ideas.
Morphemes are meaningful combinations of phonemes.
Morphophonemic rules govern the combination of phonemes and morphemes.
Grammar, including morphology and syntax, governs the formation and interpretation of sequences of morphemes.

Design Features of Language

One sound per concept is not feasible in human language, as it would lead to confusion and crowding in the sound space.
The solution is to combine a small set of distinguishable sounds (phonemes) to form unique strings for each concept (morphemes).
Syntax, which combines words to form a message, keeps words "in circulation" and allows for the expression of complex ideas.

Evolutionary Side Effects

An evolutionary side effect is a feature that is incidental to the evolved function of an adaptation.
Examples of side effects include the color of bone, which is a result of the fact that selection built internal skeletons out of calcium.
Language is not a side effect, but rather an adaptation that has evolved to serve a specific function.### Language and the Brain
The sylvian fissure is a deep involution on the brain's surface that divides the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobe.
Language function is generally localized around the sylvian fissure.

Language Deficits

Damage to Broca's area usually creates problems related to producing speech, grammar, and syntax.
Damage to Wernicke's area usually causes problems in recognizing familiar words and using words correctly.
Damage to certain other areas in the perisylvian region is associated with other specific language deficits.

Evidence for Language as an Adaptation

Mastery of spoken language is a human universal, unlike other (simpler) kinds of mastery.
There are no "simple" languages; all have phonemes, morphemes, morphophonemic rules, morphology, and syntax, interacting in similar ways.
Regular pattern of development across childhood; kids can learn any language and deduce rules at all levels (phonemes, morphemes, morphophonemic, morphology, and syntax).
Conversion of pidgins to creoles by children; adults can speak pidgin for years, but their children turn pidgins into creoles with all the features of language.
Double dissociation with general intelligence; specific language impairment (SLI) is heritable and associated with mutations in particular genes (e.g., FOXP2).
Evidence of recent selection for genes associated with language ability.
Language abilities are localized to particular parts of the brain; damage to those areas can impair language abilities without compromising other cognitive skills.

The Origin of Language

The process of language evolution must have been cumulative, with each step being beneficial; otherwise, selection would have gotten rid of it.
Suggestive steps in language evolution include noun-verb relations, then objects, then modifiers (adjectives and adverbs).

Future Research Directions

Combining GWAS studies of specific language impairments with ancient-DNA studies comparing modern and ancestral populations could provide further insight into the relationship between genetic factors, selective pressures, and the emergence of language in human evolution.

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Description

Introducing Evolutionary Psychology, a field that synthesizes evolutionary biology, biological anthropology, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to understand the human mind, brain, and behavior.