PSYC3272 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Social Perception, Prefrontal Cortex, Reproductive Synchrony
Document Summary
Darwin: replication of genes, competition for resources, copying errors (genetic, differential replication, gives the appearance of design. Humans: use cause and effect reasoning, cooperative action; cultural transmission. Evolution: 6-8 million years ago: chimp-human split, 4-5 million years ago: first fossil humanoids (lucy, 2 million years ago: homo habilis, 1 million years ago: homo erectus. Closest genetic relatives: #1 chimps, #2 gorillas. Innate = language, junk food, gambling, drugs (reinforcement), contraception (innate need to procreate): culturally transmitted = reading. Psychological adaptations vs. by-products of evolution spandrel example: test of adaptive hypotheses, specify the goal. What would the goal (purpose) of the adaptation be in terms of evolutionary terms: try to characterise the environment. How would this assist survival in the environment: lay out the engineering specs that would attain the goal in that environment. Would this be the best solution: see if the organism has those specs.
