WEEK 10

Question 1

NATURAL SELECTION

Answer 1

• Only organisms that survive AND reproduce pass on their genes to the next generation
• Traits that help survival don’t matter without
  reproduction
• The next generation gets the traits of the “fittest” members of the prior generation
• Traits that help survival tend to be passed on

Question 2

The Selfish Gene

Answer 2

Evolution favours behaviour at the level of the gene, not the person

e.g. bees share the same gene pool so they are willing to sacrifice themselves for the hive

Question 2

Naturalistic fallacy

Answer 2

The belief that the genes that get passed down are for “good” traits.
e.g. a gene that tends to make you cheat on your partner
=> wrong morally but good evolutionary
e.g. heart disease passed on as it usually takes effect after people have had kids

Question 3

What determines how genetically fit you are?

Answer 3

People with more offspring -> it doesn’t matter how successful you are

Question 4

What purpose do INNER PROCESSES SERVE?

Answer 4

Mental processes help people survive and reproduce
* Hunger –> find and eat food
* Fear –> run away and survive

Question 5

What is ENVIRONMENT OF EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTEDNESS?

Answer 5

• Genetically modern humans first emerged about 130,000 years ago
• Many aspects of today’s environment are different from EEA.
• Evolution explains human psychology in terms of what was adaptive in EEA - NOT TODAY
• Many features were historically adaptive and maladaptive (not useful but harmful) today

Question 6

What is an example of EEA and how it is maladaptive?

Answer 6

• Humans crave sweet and fatty foods
• These were precious commodities in the EEA.
• Today, these things are too easily available –> obesity

Question 7

FEAR AND THE EEA

Answer 7

Due to EEA we have modern fears of things that were more deadly years ago compared to modern times.

e.g. we still fear snakes and spiders more than cars and unprotected sex
- even though cars kill more and unprotected sex is dangerous

Question 8

PARENTAL INVESTMENT THEORY

Answer 8

• Minimum necessary parental investment between male and female is huge

Females (9 months + childbirth) require more investment than males (5 minutes)

Question 9

SEX DIFFERENCES IN MATE SELECTION due to PARENTAL INVESTMENT THEORY

Answer 9

Short term
- Men more interested in short term than women (as men require less investment)

Long Term
- Not many differences
- Men value physical attraction more (wide hips = easier to give birth)
- Women value career success more

Question 10

ENGAGING IN RELATIONSHIPS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES (Casual Sex Study)

Answer 10

BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WE OK WITH DATES (50%) WHEN ASKED

MEN (70%-90%) MORE LIKELY TO GO BACK TO APARTMENT OR SEX DIRECTLY COMPARED TO WOMEN (10% - 0%)

Question 11

ERROR MANAGEMENT THEORY

Answer 11

• Better safe than sorry!
• better to look silly and be safe than sorry
  e.g. hose or snake?
• When uncertain about an object
• People assume the worst (e.g. loud noise = gunshot)
• Make the least-costly error

Question 12

MAJOR THREATS TO HUMAN FITNESS

Answer 12

• Predators
• Dangerous other humans
• Disease
• Not attracting a mate
• Losing a mate
• Not caring for the children

Question 13

Mental processes that help people survive and reproduce?

Answer 13

• Disgust
• Anger at cheaters
• Cuteness (babies = want to care for them and protect)
• Sexual attraction
• Mostly based on “good” traits

Question 14

SEXUAL SELECTION

Answer 14

• Must survive and reproduce to pass on genes
• Selection BASED ON MATE’S PREFERENCES
• Sometimes for costly traits (E.G. peacock tails)

Question 15

Hypothesized human sexually selected traits?

Answer 15

• Female breasts, buttocks
• Male large muscles, penis
• Music and art
• Writing and humor
• Intelligence

Question 16

COSTLY SIGNALING

Answer 16

• Many desirable traits are hidden
• • Signals must be costly, i.e. hard to fake

e.g. lifting heavy weights, being good at painting, being a fast runner, having abs, being generous to show wealth

Question 17

What is CULTURE?

Answer 17

What people in a large group share in common
* Language, values, favorite foods, government, homeland, historical connection

Question 18

What was the main finding of the Dunbar study?

Answer 18

Analyzed brain size in animals compared to their body weight
* Larger brains associated with more social animals
* Dunbar conclusion: Our larger brains are designed to help us relate to each other

Question 19

SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORIES

Answer 19

The idea that the cultural environment around us influences our behaviour and is therefore important to understand if you want to understand human behaviour

• Predict differences between cultures

Question 20

What is cultural learning?

Answer 20

Determines how people think, feel, behave
* Internalised ideals (e.g. barbie dolls, how to be a good wife article from 1955)

Question 21

SOCIAL NORMS

Answer 21

• Norms of behavior change over time and place
  (e.g. girl arrested for indecent bathing suit in 1900)

Question 22

What ways can culture differ?

Answer 22

Different types of:
* Food
* Rules
* Ownership
* Shelter
* Mating
* Child-rearing
* Traditions and rituals

Question 23

CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY?

Answer 23

Branch of social/personality psychology that studies how thoughts, emotions, and behavior differ across cultures

Question 24

Collectivistic Culture?

Answer 24

* Self’s connection with others (Asia) * External reasons for behavior * Express Group’s preferences * More Stereotyping of other groups * More Cooperation * Prefer Social Emotions: friendliness, guilt, shame e.g. tend to take selfies with other people, get the same food, same pen colour

Question 25

Individualistic Culture?

Answer 25

* Self’s being different from others (Western) * Internal reasons for behavior * Express Self’s preferences * More Creativity - more patents for novel inventions on average * Prefer Selfish emotions: pride, anger e.g. selfies alone, get different food compared to friends, different coloured pens

Question 26

Self-Enhancement study by Sedikides et al. (2003)

Answer 26

* American and Japanese P’s asked “Compared to your peers, how do you rank on the following traits?” * Some traits were focused on self (e.g., unique, self-reliant, independent) * Some traits were focused on interacting with others (e.g., cooperative, loyal, respectful) Study found: Japanese rated themselves better at the "interacting with others" traits and Americans rated themselves better at "self related traits" compared to their pairs.

Question 27

What are Dignity cultures?

Answer 27

Western, NZ, American cultures * Each individual has inherent worth * Individual’s dignity is not given by others, cannot be taken away by others - "stick and stones... words never hurt me" * Individuals behave rightly because of a sense of internal standards and morality, and effective laws - don't steal because internally they think it's wrong, no other reason * Untrustworthy people… - Lack an internal sense of dignity

Question 28

What are Face cultures?

Answer 28

China, Japan, Korea Cultures * Individuals have a rightful place in social hierarchy - The way you treat people is based on your relative status compared to them Face: the respectability a person can claim by virtue of his/her relative position in this hierarchy e.g. a CEO can demand additional respect from people below them/ treat them as less valuable than people above you * Face is not a competition—people cooperate to ensure people’s face is maintained * Overreaching one’s position harms face * Individuals behave rightly because they must maintain face * Untrustworthy people lack concern for face, opinions of others

Question 29

What is Honor culture?

Answer 29

Southern Italy, Wild West…lawless areas * Honor is both internal and external—what I believe I’m worth, and how others treat me - If I think I’m honorific, and others don’t treat me that way, I have no honor * Revenge is necessary when lack of respect is shown, to restore honor * Reputation of violence helps ensure honor isn’t challenged * Individuals behave rightly because shame, threat of retaliation * Untrustworthy people lack concern for honor of others

Question 30

Tight culture?

Answer 30

- Rigid rules that must be follow - Harsh punishment if broken e.g. Muslim cultures

Question 31

Loose culture?

Answer 31

There are norms of behaviour but there are also widespread acceptance for deviations from these norms e.g. gay culture

Question 32

Left’s version of tight culture? (Loose culture = left)

Answer 32

* Call out Culture or Cancel Culture * Restrict speech * Rules one must follow, no grey area * Taboo topics: race, gender, sex * Violations punished harshly * Public shaming * No due process—accusation = guilt

Question 33

STRATEGIES FOR CULTURE CHANGE?

Answer 33

MLK vs Malcolm X MLK = peaceful = 2x likely to succeed Malcolm = by force