PSY234 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Antisocial Personality Disorder, Positive Psychology, Takers

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Week 4 Lecture - PSY234:
Evolutionary psychology and personality -
Evolutionary theory-
The revolution of evolution
o Common ancestor - humans with primates/development of physiology
o Similarity between species
o Mutability of species species change across time
o Genetics and heritability of characteristics
o Profound impact on psychology
o Functionalism: ‘mind in use’
Darwin: origin of the Species (1859)
o Natural selection
Individual variations within populations
Competition for survival
Evolutionary fitness and reproduction
‘survival of the fittest’
o Sexual selection
o Kin selection
Modern humans
Homo sapiens
o 100,000 years ago
o species of mammals
o human genetic material exposed to a variety of diverse environments
o the effects of past environments govern human development
Evolutionary approaches to personality:
New ‘paradigm’: seen as conceptual foundation for personality psych
o “Evolutionary psychology truly is different. It suggests a different type
of personality variable, that is, a different unit of analysis for
explaining personality structure and functioning”
o Looking at the distant past to understand present personality
Human nature:
Evolved psychological mechanisms
‘Preparedness’: fear of heights, snakes, dark, strangers we are prepared to
develop phobias compared to other ones
Perceptual biases: spotting differences rather than similarities
Preferences (e.g. physical appearance and mate selection; ‘beauty’ and
pathogens; Buss, 2001 our ideals of beauty may reflect an evolutionary
preference based on determining healthy mates (may be an indicator of
biological fitness)
“The search for a universal human nature and the search for an explanation of
individual differences in psychological traits”
The function of personality:
Understanding personality in terms of adaptation to the environment
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“In analyzing personality phenomena from an evolutionary perspective,
adaptations will tend to be recognizable because of the functional coordination
of psychological characteristics of behaviour”
Functional analysis
Function of traits:
o Personality relates to mating success, health and life expectancy
(Nettle, 2006)
o What is adaptive in one environment might not be in another
o Five Factor model and evolution
Cost/benefit analysis (advt./disadvt)
Survival
Reproductive success
o I.e. extraversion benefits
Associated with sociability, positive emotion, exploratory
behaviour, risk taking
Strong, positive relationship b/w extraversion and no. of sexual
partners
High E scorers and ‘extrapair copulations’ (infidelity)
More sociable and more social support
More physically active and exploratory
i.e. increases reproductive success and survival
o Costs associated with extraversion
High sexual diversity, high levels of exploration and activity
means greater exposure to dangers
E.g. those who are hospitalized due to accident or illness score
higher in extraversion
Social ostracism and promiscuity
o Neuroticism: costs
Greater levels of negative emotions; fear, sadness, anxiety,
guilt
High N strong predictor of psychiatric disorders
High N and impaired physical health (chronic activation of
stress mechanism)
Neuroticism a predictor of relationship failure and social
isolation
o Benefits for N
Vigilance, wariness and survival
Avoiding predation and acute dangers
Anxiety and threat detection
Low N and extreme risk takers (e.g. mountain climbers)
Neuroticism positively correlated w/ competitiveness
Uni students and academic success correlates with high N
o Openness benefits
Positively correlated with artistic creativity
Artistic abilities attracts mates
High openness correlates with higher number of sexual partners
Divergent thinking: problem solving
o Costs w openness
Limits of mental flexibility
Cognitive style similar to schizotypy
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Document Summary

Individual variations within populations: competition for survival, evolutionary fitness and reproduction. Survival of the fittest": sexual selection, kin selection. Modern humans: homo sapiens, 100,000 years ago, species of mammals, human genetic material exposed to a variety of diverse environments the effects of past environments govern human development. Evolutionary approaches to personality: new paradigm": seen as conceptual foundation for personality psych, evolutionary psychology truly is different. It suggests a different type of personality variable, that is, a different unit of analysis for explaining personality structure and functioning : looking at the distant past to understand present personality. Issue of cultural diversity (bussey & bandura, 1999 males and females are diverse) Third force" in psych (after psychoanalysis and behaviourism: focus on humanity and higher" end of human experience, e. g. human potential, happiness, creativity, phenomenological engaged with subjective experience, values unique person (idiographic, non-deterministic: advocates free-will.

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