Week 4 - Evolutionary Psychology Flashcards
(158 cards)
Which of the following best explains the principle of natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species?
A) Organisms inherit traits randomly, and survival is mostly due to luck
B) Traits that are learned during an organism’s lifetime are passed on to the next generation
C) Organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on advantageous traits to future generations
D) All traits are fixed and unchangeable from birth, regardless of environment
C) Organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on advantageous traits to future generations
According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, what are the two key criteria that determine whether a trait is passed on to future generations?
A) Intelligence and strength
B) Cooperation and kindness
C) Survival and reproduction – organisms must live long enough and reproduce successfully to pass on their genes
D) Creativity and communication skills
C) Survival and reproduction – organisms must live long enough and reproduce successfully to pass on their genes
Which of the following best explains the role of “staying alive” in the process of natural selection?
A) It means living a long life regardless of reproduction
B) It means outliving predators in order to become dominant in the species
C) It means surviving long enough to reproduce and pass on your genes, often in competition with members of the same species
D) It means being stronger than animals from other species
C) It means surviving long enough to reproduce and pass on your genes, often in competition with members of the same species
How does reproduction help spread beneficial traits in a species?
A) All offspring get the same traits
B) Traits spread randomly, not through survival
C) Offspring with helpful traits survive and reproduce more, passing them on
D) Only the oldest reproduce to pass on strong genes
C) Offspring with helpful traits survive and reproduce more, passing them on
What best explains sex differences in mating behavior, according to Darwin’s natural selection theory?
A) Women seek commitment; men seek multiple partners to boost success
B) Women prefer short-term mating due to high potential
C) Men and women evolved the same strategies
D) Women avoid reproducing in risky environments
A) Women seek commitment; men seek multiple partners to boost success
What is the main focus of sexual selection in evolution?
A) Finding food
B) Competing for mates and being chosen as a mate
C) Avoiding predators
D) Surviving in harsh environments
B) Competing for mates and being chosen as a mate
Intersexual competition involves…
A) Fighting over territory
B) One sex choosing a mate from the other
C) Competing with predators
D) Defending offspring
B) One sex choosing a mate from the other
Intersexual competition happens when, for example, females select mates based on traits like beauty or behavior.
Intrasexual competition is…
A) Competing with other species
B) Competing with the same sex for access to mates
C) Avoiding environmental threats
D) Sharing food within a group
B) Competing with the same sex for access to mates
Intrasexual competition often involves direct or indirect rivalry (e.g., status, strength) between members of the same sex.
Which of the following best defines an adaptation in evolutionary psychology?
A) A learned behavior in response to modern society
B) A reliably developing trait that evolved to solve a survival or reproductive problem
C) A random trait passed on by chance
D) A temporary change in behavior due to mood
B) A reliably developing trait that evolved to solve a survival or reproductive problem
An adaptation is a trait that consistently develops because it solves an evolutionary problem, such as finding food or attracting mates.
What is an adaptive problem in evolutionary terms?
A) Any physical illness
B) A temporary obstacle in decision-making
C) Anything that threatens survival or reproduction
D) A personality flaw
C) Anything that threatens survival or reproduction
Adaptive problems are challenges like avoiding predators, finding food, or selecting a mate—anything that affects an organism’s chances to survive and reproduce.
What is a byproduct of an adaptation?
A) A failed evolutionary trait
B) A mutation that spreads rapidly
C) A side effect of an adaptation that doesn’t solve an adaptive problem
D) A core feature of every successful trait
C) A side effect of an adaptation that doesn’t solve an adaptive problem
Byproducts are incidental outcomes of adaptations—like bellybuttons, which result from the umbilical cord but serve no adaptive function themselves.
Which of the following best defines an exaptation?
A) A trait that failed to serve any purpose in evolution
B) A neutral mutation that eventually disappeared
C) A trait that originally evolved for one function but was later co-opted for a new use
D) A learned behavior acquired in early life
C) A trait that originally evolved for one function but was later co-opted for a new use
(e.g. the human brain evolved for general cognition, but its capacity was later co-opted for language—a classic case of exaptation)
What is a spandrel in evolution?
A) A trait selected for survival
B) A random mutation that spread
C) A trait shaped only by learning from the environment
D) A by-product of an adaptation that became useful
D) A by-product of an adaptation that became useful
Reading is a spandrel:
It’s not an adaptation itself, because natural selection couldn’t have selected for a skill that only appeared a few thousand years ago—far too recent in evolutionary time. Instead, it piggybacks on existing brain functions.
Which of the following is an example of a spandrel?
A) The human heart’s ability to pump blood
B) Reading and writing, as side effects of brain adaptations
C) The opposable thumb used for tool-making
D) Developing fear of predators
B) Reading and writing, as side effects of brain adaptations
What best describes noise or random variation in evolution?
A) A neutral trait with no effect on survival or reproduction
B) A trait that helps survival
C) A harmful mutation
D) A learned trait passed down socially
A) A neutral trait with no effect on survival or reproduction
E.g. Fingerprints, shape of earlobes, eye spacing, frackles
All these variations are a classic example of biological noise—a neutral trait that results from random variation, not evolutionary pressure.
What is epigenetics?
A) Inherited changes from DNA mutations
B) Evolutionary psychology of personality
C) Gene expression changes from environment, without DNA changes
D) A theory of genetic differences between species
C) Gene expression changes from environment, without DNA changes
(how genes can be switched on or off or expressed differently due to factors like stress, diet, toxins, or experiences—without changing the actual DNA code. It explains how the same genetic code can lead to different outcomes depending on life context)
Which statement best reflects the difference between adaptive and desirable traits?
A) Adaptive traits are always socially desirable
B) Desirable traits always increase survival
C) Adaptive traits increase survival or reproduction, but may not be socially or morally desirable
D) Desirable traits are based only on genetics
C) Adaptive traits increase survival or reproduction, but may not be socially or morally desirable
Adaptive traits solve evolutionary problems, but they aren’t always socially approved (e.g., jealousy may help mate guarding, but isn’t seen as “nice”).
What does domain-specificity refer to in evolutionary psychology?
A) The brain responds equally to all types of problems
B) Adaptations evolved to solve general, flexible problems
C) Psychological mechanisms evolved to solve specific problems in specific contexts
D) Learning is random and based on trial and error
C) Psychological mechanisms evolved to solve specific problems in specific contexts
Domain-specificity means the mind is made of specialized tools for solving different problems (e.g., recognizing faces vs. avoiding toxins).
What does “numerousness” suggest about the human mind?
A) The mind has many specialized systems for different problems
B) The brain uses one general system for everything
C) One main mechanism makes all decisions
D) Most brain functions aren’t needed for survival
A) The mind has many specialized systems for different problems
The mind is not one unified computer, but more like a Swiss army knife with many tools, each designed for a particular job.
E.g. Avoiding spoiled food because it smells bad
- Recognizing a friend’s face in a crowd
- Feeling jealous when your partner flirts with someone else
- Solving a math problem in class
- Choosing to share food with a hungry child
In evolutionary psychology, what does “functionality” mean?
A) Traits must be complex to work
B) Traits evolved to solve survival or reproduction problems
C) All brain parts have the same job
D) Traits come only from culture
B) Traits evolved to solve survival or reproduction problems
Functionality means that traits—mental or physical—exist for a reason: they were selected because they helped our ancestors survive or reproduce.
E.g.
- Fear of snakes - survival
- Jealousy → Helps protect romantic relationships from threats
- Disgust → Keeps us from eating spoiled or contaminated food
- Infant attachment → Keeps babies close to caregivers for survival
According to evolutionary psychology, what best describes human nature?
A) It’s fully shaped by culture
B) It’s just random genetic changes
C) It’s made of evolved psychological traits that helped survival and reproduction
D) It’s fixed at birth and not shaped by environment
C) It’s made of evolved psychological traits that helped
Why do evolutionary psychologists believe humans have a need to belong?
A) It increases cultural development
B) It helps people learn languages faster
C) Belonging to a group helped ancestors survive, access resources, and reproduce
D) Belonging is a recent social invention
C) Belonging to a group helped ancestors survive, access resources, and reproduce
From an evolutionary perspective, group membership was essential for safety, food, and mating opportunities—so the need to belong became a selected trait.
How do successful psychological mechanisms spread in a population?
A) Through cultural practices alone
B) Through mutation and random chance
C) By being passed on genetically when they increase reproductive success
D) Only when humans choose to teach them
C) By being passed on genetically when they increase reproductive success
Mechanisms that help individuals survive and reproduce are more likely to be inherited by future generations, making them common in the population.