Assumptions

• What do evolutionary psychologists explain human behavior based on?

  Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution
• What is the process of natural selection?

  Survival of those who adapt to their environment
• How do evolutionary psychologists view individuals with advantageous characteristics?

  They are more likely to have evolved
• What does 'survival of the fittest' mean in evolutionary psychology?

  Genes of successful individuals are passed on
• Who claimed that romantic relationships are influenced by investment levels?

  Trivers
• Why do females have a larger investment in offspring survival?

  They carry and care for the baby
• What do males look for in potential mates according to evolutionary psychology?

  Fertile, youthful women
• What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex?

  Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
• What is the function of the frontal lobe?

  Responsible for problem solving
• What does the parietal lobe process?

  Sensory processes such as pain
• What is the role of the occipital lobe?

  Interpreting visual stimuli
• What does the temporal lobe handle?

  Auditory information
• How does the orbitofrontal cortex influence mate selection?

  It assesses desirability of potential mates
• What did Ishai (2007) find regarding beauty and the OFC?

  Beauty activates the OFC in both sexes
• What are neurotransmitters?

  Chemical messengers between neurons
• What must neurotransmitters do to cross the synapse?

  Change from electrical to chemical signals
• What happens when a neurotransmitter reaches the postsynaptic neuron?

  It changes back to an electrical signal
• What is dopamine's primary function?

  Controls bodily movements and emotional responses
• What mental health condition is related to dopamine deficiency?

  Depression
• What does serotonin affect?

  Emotions and motor skills
• What role does serotonin play in the body?

  Supports sleeping, eating, and digestion
• What did Aron et al (2008) conclude about dopamine?

  Dopamine plays a role in romantic relationships
• How does dopamine influence the brain in romantic contexts?

  Activates reward centres and amplifies sex hormones
• What is the neurological impact of meeting an attractive mate?

  It can have a powerful effect on attraction