evolution

Question 1

why do we study non-human animals?

Answer 1

• there are similarities of brain structure and function across species
• allows study of phylogeny (evolution) of the brain
• understand particular behavioural adaptations

Question 2

what does Hippocampal lesions in rats show?

Answer 2

• impairs conditioning to contextual cues in animals

Question 3

what has Hippocampal damage in rats acted as a model for in humans?

Answer 3

• the effects of hippocampal damage in rats = the base model for humans with amnesia (which has occurred due to hippocampal damage)

Question 4

why are the rat studies essential?

Answer 4

• essential in telling us which neuronal systems are key

Question 5

what has been found in both birds and mammals in relation to the hippocampus?

Answer 5

hippocampal volume found to be relatively enlarged in food storing species

Question 6

what are the characteristics of an organism according to Darwinian Theory?

Answer 6

• characteristics of an organism have specific functions
• these functions are selected for if these functions allow organism to survive and reproduce more successfully

Question 7

what idea is Darwinian Theory consistent with?

Answer 7

• common ancestry

Question 8

what are Homonids?

Answer 8

• human like apes evolved from primates
• have grasping hands for climbing
• forward facing eyes for stereoscopic depth perception

Question 9

what do present day hominids include?

Answer 9

• chimpanzees
• gorillas
• orangutangs
• humans

Question 10

define endemic

Answer 10

species that are not found elsewhere

Question 11

what are the mechanisms of natural selection?

Answer 11

• genetic drift
• the environment
• speciation

Question 12

what can have selective advantages?

Answer 12

• mutations

Question 13

define functionalism

Answer 13

• belief that characteristics of living organisms perform useful functions
• in order to understand the physiological (why animal has something) basis of behaviour, we have to understand what the behaviours accomplish

Question 14

explain how functionalism and natural selection go hand in hand

Answer 14

• functionalism = the idea that the best way to understand a behaviour or a physiological structure is to understand how the behaviour is a useful function for organism
• natural selection = the process where inherited traits that are a selective advantage to organism become more frequent in a population

Question 15

define mutation

Answer 15

random, rare change to genetic information

this can be passed to offspring

provides genetic variability

Question 16

define selective advantage

Answer 16

a characteristic of an organism that increases chance of organism producing more offspring

Question 17

define evolution

Answer 17

a gradual change in structure and physiology (function of organism behaviour) of species

generally producing more complex organisms as a result of natural selection

Question 18

provide an example of natural selection

Answer 18

• grey squirrels
• these can digest acorns, red squirrels cannot
• grey squirrels carries a virus that is more deadly to red squirrels
• red squirrels breed less under pressure
• the decline in red squirrels can be understood in terms of the number of selective advantages that grey squirrels have

Question 19

how is human evolution evidenced?

Answer 19

• fossil records

Question 20

what were the earliest mammals?

Answer 20

• small nocturnal predators that fed on insects

Question 21

where did the first hominids (humanlike apes) appear?

Answer 21

• Africa
• appeared in drier woodlands, the savanna, grasslands

Question 22

when did the first hominid leave Africa?

Answer 22

• 1.7 million years ago

Question 23

what does DNA analysis of chimps, gorillas, organutans and humans show?

Answer 23

• there is very little difference between species
• humans and chimps share almost 99% of DNA

Question 24

how is human brain evolution marked?

Answer 24

• differences in hominid brain size
• brain size also links to body size

Question 25

what is the encephalization quotient?

Answer 25

• a measure of relative brain size
• is often used to convey how small or large a species brain is compared to other species of similar body size

Question 26

why do humans have a slower maturation process (‘neoteny’)?

Answer 26

• to allow brain development
• birth canal limits the size of the head
• development of head is supported by prenatal care

Question 27

how has social development supported the evolution of large brains?

Answer 27

• supported evolution of larger brains
• brain reaches adult size (1400 grams) at adolescence
• neoteny allows more time for growth
• this is important factor in development of large brains

Question 28

what else has been supported by social factors?

Answer 28

evolution of cognitive domains (skills)

Question 29

what did neoteny most likely drive?

Answer 29

• development of social skills to co-ordinate child care