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PSYC211 > WEEK 10 > Flashcards

WEEK 10 Flashcards

1
Q

NATURAL SELECTION

A
  • 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
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2
Q

The Selfish Gene

A

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

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2
Q

Naturalistic fallacy

A

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

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3
Q

What determines how genetically fit you are?

A

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

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4
Q

What purpose do INNER PROCESSES SERVE?

A

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

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5
Q

What is ENVIRONMENT OF EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTEDNESS?

A
  • 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
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6
Q

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

A
  • Humans crave sweet and fatty foods
  • These were precious commodities in the EEA.
  • Today, these things are too easily available –> obesity
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7
Q

FEAR AND THE EEA

A

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

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8
Q

PARENTAL INVESTMENT THEORY

A
  • Minimum necessary parental investment between male and female is huge

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

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9
Q

SEX DIFFERENCES IN MATE SELECTION due to PARENTAL INVESTMENT THEORY

A

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

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10
Q

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

A

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%)

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11
Q

ERROR MANAGEMENT THEORY

A
  • 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
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12
Q

MAJOR THREATS TO HUMAN FITNESS

A
  • Predators
  • Dangerous other humans
  • Disease
  • Not attracting a mate
  • Losing a mate
  • Not caring for the children
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13
Q

Mental processes that help people survive and reproduce?

A
  • Disgust
  • Anger at cheaters
  • Cuteness (babies = want to care for them and protect)
  • Sexual attraction
  • Mostly based on “good” traits
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14
Q

SEXUAL SELECTION

A
  • Must survive and reproduce to pass on genes
  • Selection BASED ON MATE’S PREFERENCES
  • Sometimes for costly traits (E.G. peacock tails)
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15
Q

Hypothesized human sexually selected traits?

A
  • Female breasts, buttocks
  • Male large muscles, penis
  • Music and art
  • Writing and humor
  • Intelligence
16
Q

COSTLY SIGNALING

A
  • 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

17
Q

What is CULTURE?

A

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

18
Q

What was the main finding of the Dunbar study?

A

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

19
Q

SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORIES

A

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
20
Q

What is cultural learning?

A

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

21
Q

SOCIAL NORMS

A
  • Norms of behavior change over time and place
    (e.g. girl arrested for indecent bathing suit in 1900)
22
Q

What ways can culture differ?

A

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

23
Q

CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY?

A

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

24
Collectivistic Culture?
* 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
25
Individualistic Culture?
* 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
26
Self-Enhancement study by Sedikides et al. (2003)
* 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.
27
What are Dignity cultures?
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
28
What are Face cultures?
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
29
What is Honor culture?
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
30
Tight culture?
- Rigid rules that must be follow - Harsh punishment if broken e.g. Muslim cultures
31
Loose culture?
There are norms of behaviour but there are also widespread acceptance for deviations from these norms e.g. gay culture
32
Left’s version of tight culture? (Loose culture = left)
* 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
33
STRATEGIES FOR CULTURE CHANGE?
MLK vs Malcolm X MLK = peaceful = 2x likely to succeed Malcolm = by force

PSYC211 (12 decks)

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