Evolutionary Psychology

• What is natural selection?

  Traits that provide adaptive advantages survive
• How does natural selection affect species over time?

  Adaptive traits become more common in populations
• What is sexual selection?

  Attraction of mates based on certain traits
• How does sexual selection differ from natural selection?

  Focuses on mate attraction rather than survival
• What is inclusive fitness?

  Genetic success through helping relatives survive
• What is reciprocal altruism?

  Helping others with the expectation of future help
• Who developed the theory of natural selection?

  Charles Darwin
• What did Darwin's voyage on "The Beagle" contribute to?

  Development of the theory of evolution
• What is the genetic basis of natural selection?

  Natural selection operates at the gene level
• What happens to genes that produce desirable characteristics?

  They are more likely to dominate the gene pool
• What is an example of natural selection in action?

  Peppered moth color changes
• What did Kettlewell study about the peppered moth?

  Color changes due to industrial pollution
• What are founder effects?

  New colonies formed by a small population
• What are bottleneck effects?

  Population shrinks, survivors carry limited genes
• What is inter-sexual selection?

  Qualities that attract mates
• What is mutation in the context of evolution?

  Random changes in DNA
• What is Hamilton's (1964) contribution to inclusive fitness?

  Strategies to optimize gene survival
• What is intra-sexual selection?

  Qualities that help compete with the same sex
• What did Andersson (1982) study about widow birds?

  Tail length's effect on mate attraction
• What is the cost-benefit analysis in inclusive fitness?

  Cost must be less than reproductive benefit
• What is reciprocal altruism according to Trivers (1971)?

  Helping unrelated individuals with repayment expectation
• What is evolutionary psychology?

  Study of evolution's impact on behavior
• What is the environment of evolutionary adaptedness?

  Context where adaptive traits emerged
• What lifestyle characterized the Pleistocene epoch?

  Hunter-gatherer lifestyle
• How does modern food availability relate to obesity?

  Does not match ancestral food preferences
• How does race hate relate to inclusive fitness?

  Favors close kin during resource threats
• What is the male-warrior hypothesis?

  Men's behaviors are more intergroup oriented
• What did Van Vugt et al. (2007) find about male and female behaviors?

  Men participated more in group tasks
• How are fears and phobias adaptive?

  They increase survival chances
• What did Rakison (2009) study about infants and fears?

  Gaze times related to fear stimuli
• What should fears and phobias be based on according to predictions?

  Things we needed to fear in EEA
• When do fears and phobias typically emerge?

  At ages we would have encountered threats
• What do socialization perspectives say about gender differences?

  Encouragement or discouragement of behaviors
• What did Ohman et al. (1975) find about fear responses?

  Fear extinguished faster for non-threatening stimuli
• How do biological differences create gender pressures for females?

  Limited offspring and resource investment needed
• How do biological differences create gender pressures for males?

  Potential for many offspring with minimal investment
• What do females look for in mate preferences?

  Signs of commitment and resources
• What do males look for in mate preferences?

  Signs of fertility and youth
• What tactics do females use in mate attraction?

  Advertise looks and physical appearance
• What tactics do males use in mate attraction?

  Advertise status and future resources