PSY231 Evolutionary Psychology Chapter 1

The theory that organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to their offspring.

Features that help an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

The idea that individuals inherit traits their parents acquired during their lifetime. (e.g. a giraffe's long neck).

An imbalance between the resources needed for survival and the ability of a population to produce offspring.

A scientist who sailed around the world observing and collecting data about plants and animals in their natural habitats.

French biologist who proposed that species gradually change over time due to their needs.

The study of how animals behave in their natural environment.

The study of life and its processes, including organisms, their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution.

Variations in traits within a population, such as wing length, strength, or cunningness.

The passing of traits from one generation to the next.

The ability of some organisms to survive and reproduce more successfully than others, due to their traits.

The smallest unit of heredity, responsible for transferring traits.

The complete set of genes an organism possesses.

A mechanism that becomes an adaptation because its benefits outweigh the costs.

The idea that organisms with partial forms of adaptations still benefit from them, even if they aren't fully developed. These benefits could include enhanced survival, reproduction, or protection.

A theory that explains why certain traits in animals can be detrimental to survival but beneficial for attracting mates. These traits can increase mating success, even if they make the individual more vulnerable to predators.

The idea that evolution is not a goal-oriented process. It's a response to environmental pressures and does not occur with a specific intention in mind.

The process where humans select and breed organisms with desirable traits, leading to the development of new breeds or varieties of a species over time. It is an example of artificial selection.

Evolutionary changes that occur in a population, often due to a small group of individuals founding a new population or experiencing a drastic reduction in population size. These events lead to a loss of genetic diversity.

Evolution is a gradual process that occurs over many generations, often taking thousands or even millions of years to see significant changes in a species.

A behavior pattern that occurs reliably in most members of a species, often triggered by a specific stimulus.

A field of psychology that studies the evolutionary origins of human behavior and cognition.