Evolutionary Psychology: Perspectives on Sex Differences

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Questions and Answers

What is the single most important factor in natural selection?

Social status

Survival

Mental health

Reproduction (correct)

According to evolutionary perspectives, what is the primary reason for the development of fears?

To increase cognitive abilities

To survive and reproduce longer (correct)

To avoid social rejection

To increase lifespan

What is the main idea behind life history theory?

That humans are superior to other species

That life is full of challenges and obstacles

That personality traits are fixed and unchangeable

That energy should be allocated between self-preservation and reproduction (correct)

What is the primary driver of sex differences in humans, from an evolutionary perspective?

Intrasexual competition and mating strategies Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate goal of psychological adaptations, from an evolutionary perspective?

To accomplish particular adaptive goals Signup and view all the answers

What happens to individuals who develop anxiety due to fears of certain stimuli, from an evolutionary perspective?

They are more likely to reproduce and pass on their genes Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary driver of sex differences in parenting investment?

Biological functions Signup and view all the answers

According to Life History Theory, what is the most important environmental determinant?

Extrinsic morality Signup and view all the answers

In a stable and consistent environment, what is the preferred allocation of resources?

Somatic effort over reproductive effort Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of a fast life history strategy?

Unstable and unpredictable environment Signup and view all the answers

Why do females partially select males for their willingness to invest in parenting?

Because it increases the chances of offspring survival Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between slow and fast life history strategies?

Allocation of resources Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of knowledge of the environment in Life History Theory?

It influences an individual's decision-making processes about resource allocation Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a species that exhibits a slow life history strategy?

Elephants Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of human nature that influences our behavior?

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

What is the result of reproducing now in terms of future reproduction?

Cost of increasing chance of not reproducing in the future Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between short-term and long-term sexual strategies?

Short-term strategies prioritize quantity over quality, while long-term strategies prioritize quality over quantity Signup and view all the answers

What is the trade-off between the number of offspring and the investment in each offspring?

Having fewer offspring increases the investment in each offspring Signup and view all the answers

What is the Preparedness Hypothesis?

The idea that certain traits are maintained due to their adaptiveness in a specific environment Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of allocating energy to growth now in terms of fertility?

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

What is the primary driver of individual differences in reproductive strategies?

Environmental triggers, such as father absence Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why bad emotions have more influence than good emotions?

Because bad emotions facilitate survival and awareness of negatives Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder?

They have a general disregard for others' rights and feelings Signup and view all the answers

What is a common childhood behavior of individuals who may develop Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Behaving aggressively or cruelly towards animals Signup and view all the answers

What is a possible consequence of childhood behavioral problems in individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Escalation into more serious crimes Signup and view all the answers

What is another term used to describe individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Psychopath Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the Erratic Cluster of personality disorders?

Dramatic and unpredictable behavior Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following disorders is NOT part of the Erratic Cluster?

Avoidant Personality Disorder Signup and view all the answers

What is a common pattern in individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Early childhood behavioral problems leading to increased aggression Signup and view all the answers

What is a possible consequence of the worsening of childhood behavioral problems in individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Development of severe aggression or sadistic behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the likelihood of a child developing an antisocial personality as an adult if they exhibit no signs of conduct problems by age 16?

Low Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of children who are likely to grow into an antisocial personality disorder as an adult?

Early-onset conduct problems Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature of antisocial persons?

Recklessness Signup and view all the answers

Why do antisocial persons tend to respond to minor frustrations with aggression?

Because they are easily irritated Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of the antisocial personality?

Impulsivity Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of antisocial persons in their relationships?

They tend to be assaultive, particularly to those around them Signup and view all the answers

What is a hallmark of the antisocial mind?

Lack of remorse and guilt feelings Signup and view all the answers

What is a term used to describe antisocial persons who are able to hide their antisocial tendencies?

Successful psychopath Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary criterion for determining a psychological disorder?

distress or impairment in important life domains Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the categorical and dimensional views of personality disorders?

categorical view sees disorders as categories, while dimensional view sees them as a continuum Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)?

to provide a framework for diagnosing mental disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of a personality disorder according to the DSM-5?

an enduring pattern of behavior that differs greatly from the expectations of the individual's culture Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the DSM-IV and the DSM-5?

DSM-IV is dimensional, while DSM-5 is categorical Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of Section III in the DSM-5?

to identify areas for further research Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of the dimensional view of personality disorders?

it allows for a more nuanced understanding of personality disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the field of psychopathology?

the study of mental disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature among many antisocial persons?

They were abused and victimized as children Signup and view all the answers

According to research, what is a possible biological explanation for antisocial behavior?

Biological changes associated with drug abuse Signup and view all the answers

What is the triarchic model used to characterize?

Psychopaths Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'boldness' component of the triarchic model related to?

An under-reactivity in the brain's defensive motivational system Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'meanness' component of the triarchic model thought to be related to?

Dysfunction in brain systems important to empathy Signup and view all the answers

What is a common theme among explanations of personality disorders?

There are multiple explanations for each disorder, including biological, learning, psychodynamic, and cultural explanations Signup and view all the answers

What is a possible learning theory explanation for antisocial personality disorder?

Deficits in learning through punishment Signup and view all the answers

What is a possible familial trend associated with antisocial personality disorder?

A higher incidence of the disorder among individuals with a family history of the disorder Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of individuals with borderline personality disorder?

Intense, emotional, and potentially violent relationships Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature of psychopaths?

Fearlessness and a willingness to take calculated risks Signup and view all the answers

What is a result of borderline individuals sensing separation or rejection in an important relationship?

Profound changes in their self-image and behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of borderline individuals' views of themselves?

Shifting and changing easily Signup and view all the answers

What is a common emotion experienced by borderline individuals?

Panic and anger Signup and view all the answers

Why do borderline individuals sometimes engage in self-mutilating behavior?

To manipulate others into staying in a relationship Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of borderline individuals' relationships?

Intense and potentially violent Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature of borderline individuals' self-image?

A sense of evil or badness Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Evolutionary Perspectives

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

Sex Differences

Males and females have differences in parenting investment due to biological functions.
Males who are highly desirable can expect a high future reproductive rate, but females partially select males for their willingness to invest in parenting.

Life History Theory

Life requires capturing (foraging/hunting/cultivating) and allocating (reproduction and survival-enhancing activities) energy.
The mating effort-parental effort trade-off is a key aspect of Life History Theory.
Knowledge of the environment and environmental pressures influence individuals' decision-making processes about the allocation of resources.
LHT describes the adaptive choices made by individuals to optimize reproduction and survival based on the environment.

LH Strategies

There are different life strategies, such as slow and fast strategies, which are influenced by the environment.
Slow strategies are characterized by a stable, consistent environment, where resources are allocated preferentially to somatic effort over reproductive effort.
Fast strategies are characterized by an unstable, unpredictable, harsh environment, where resources are allocated to reproductive effort over somatic effort.
Examples of slow strategies include elephants, while examples of fast strategies include rabbits.

Human Nature

Human nature is characterized by the need to belong, and we cannot survive on our own.
Helping and altruism are universal emotions that are essential for survival.
Bad emotions have more influence and importance than good emotions, as being aware of negatives facilitates survival.

Environmental Triggers

Environmental triggers, such as father absence, can direct individuals towards short-term mating strategies.
Heritable individual differences are contingent on other traits, such as individuals who are muscular and large pursuing more aggressive strategies.

Preparedness Hypothesis

The preparedness hypothesis suggests that certain things in our ancestral past posed a real threat to our survival or the survival of our offspring.
Examples of this include the development of fears of certain things, which led to increased survival and reproduction.

Offspring

The quantity-quality trade-off of offspring refers to the decision between having a lot of offspring or investing strongly in the offspring you do have.
Energy allocated to growth now reduces fertility at younger ages, but increases at older ages.

Disorders of Personality

A psychological disorder is a pattern of behavior or experience that is distressing and painful to the person, leading to disability or impairment in important life domains, and associated with increased risk for further suffering, loss of function, death, or confinement.
The concept of disorder is tentative and subject to change as society changes.
The field of psychopathology, or the study of mental disorders, combines statistical, social, and psychological approaches to abnormality.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

The DSM-5 is the most widely used system for diagnosing mental disorders, including personality disorders.
The DSM-5 maintains a categorical model of personality disorders, with 10 specific disorders.
The DSM-5 includes a section (Section III) that describes areas needing further research.

What Is a Personality Disorder?

A personality disorder is an enduring pattern of experience and behavior that differs greatly from the expectations of the individual's culture.

Specific Personality Disorders

The Erratic Cluster: Ways of Being Unpredictable, Violent, or Emotional

Disorders in this cluster include antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.
People with these disorders tend to have trouble with emotional control and difficulties getting along with others.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

The antisocial person shows a general disregard for others and cares little about the rights, feelings, or happiness of others.
Childhood behavioral problems, such as violating the rights of others or breaking age-related social norms, are common among individuals with antisocial personality disorder.
Adults with antisocial personality disorder typically had a childhood marked by behavioral problems, which worsened as they developed physically, cognitively, and sexually.
Key features of antisocial personality disorder include:
- Lack of concern for social norms
- Repeated lying
- Impulsivity
- Irritability and aggression
- Recklessness
- Irresponsibility
- Lack of remorse and guilt feelings
- Indifference to the suffering of others

Borderline Personality Disorder

The lives of persons with borderline personality disorder are marked by instability in relationships, behavior, emotions, and self-image.
Key features of borderline personality disorder include:
- Intense, emotional, and potentially violent relationships
- Strong fears of abandonment
- Marked difficulties in relationships
- Shifting views of oneself
- Self-harming acts
- Strong emotions, such as panic, anger, and despair, often caused by interpersonal events.

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Description

This quiz covers evolutionary perspectives on human behavior, including sex differences in parenting investment and reproductive strategies.