Principles
Children are scared of heights and loud noises, but not modern dangers, such as stoves or cars. This concept is best explained by which principle of evolutionary psychology?
“Modern skulls house a Stone Age mind.”
What is the process of evolution wherein some genetic variants out-reproduce alternatives leading to species-wide change in gene frequencies?
Natural selection
If a gene makes an organism more likely to survive by allowing a mate to eat it, will that gene become more likely in the next generation?
Yes
Blood relative homicides are very common (~25% of homicides). True or false.
False, it’s about 6%
Tony says that we only care about babies because they are cute. What is wrong with this?
This is instinct blindness. We evolved to find them cute.
How do you know the function of an evolved adaptation? What do you have to do?
Reverse engineer it
Your brain and eyes are doing calculus to see, and your body is using hundreds of muscles to walk without you realizing it. Our inability to see how complicated we are is referred to as…?
Instinct blindness
Hamilton’s Rule (C < r*B) describes when a gene for altruistic behavior toward your kin will be selected for. True or false?
True
Humans evolved to kill infants in a similar way to langur monkeys and lions. True or false.
False; humans do not routinely kill infants.
Tony describes lemmings as small animals that drown themselves when there isn’t enough food in order to allow the species to survive. What is wrong with this?
The lemmings that drown wouldn’t reproduce, so selection would remove this behavior. Also, lemmings can swim.
People know much more than they think they know. This illustrates what principle of evolutionary psychology?
Consciousness is just the tip of the iceberg
Predators killed many of our ancestors, leading to the evolution of anti-predator adaptations. Predators killing our ancestors is an example of a(n):
Selection pressure or Adaptive problem
Using Hamilton’s Rule, what would you take as a cost for a full sibling to gain a benefit of 6?
3 or less
What is the best-known predictor of incest between a pair of siblings?
Being separated when young
Tony was saying evolutionary theory isn’t needed to explain human behavior because “Animals have instinct which evolved, but humans have reason.” What’s wrong with this?
“Reason” evolved too
What determines whether a gene is selected for?
A - It protects the species.
B - It adds complexity.
C - It spreads itself.
D - It helps the organism survive
C- It spreads itself.
Biopsychologists study genes and brain structures. Perceptual psychologists study our senses. What do evolutionary psychologists study?
Human nature or Evolved adaptations
Name one of two ways that evolution has adapted organisms to lower the cost of aggression on themselves?
Combat design or assessment mechanisms
Name two of the three best predictors of infanticide in humans?
Lack of parental care, low infant quality, paternity uncertainty
Tony said evolutionary theory isn’t needed to explain people, because we have “culture.” What is wrong with this?
Various correct answers. “Culture is built upon evolved nature, e.g. marriage and pair-bonds.”
Psychologists often prescribe medications to help treat patients. This concept is best explained by which principle of evolutionary psychology?
Our brain is a physical system
What is it when two organisms evolve with competitive adaptations that result in a feedback loop where both competitors evolve increasingly costly adaptations?
Arms race
Describe 3 common features of ritualized aggression.
non-lethal, between members of a species, slow, escalating, intermittent, signaled, loud, use of submission signals...
Fathers are often sexually possessive of their daughters. From an evolutionary perspective, why might this be?
Preserving a daughter’s sexual value in an environment of bride-prices or daughter swapping.
Tony said that evolutionary accounts of infanticide are wrong, because evolutionary theorists predict that less healthy children will be at risk of infanticide, but some mothers invest more heavily in their sicker children. What’s wrong with this?
Unhealthy children are both more likely to be neglected and over-invested in.