PSYC 3110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Natural Selection, Phenotype, Heritability

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3110
• Professor: Pat Barclay

Document Summary

Outline for lecture 2 natural selection + genes & behaviour. Part a: evolution by natural selection: common descent & the tree of life, definition of evolution & major mechanisms of change: Natural selection: competition + heritable variation + differential reproduction: non-random survival of random changes, acts on individuals but changes the population. Must increase reproductive success, be beneficial immediately, maximize benefit/cost ratio, and be good in that environment: common misconceptions. Progress, goals/plans, trying to evolve , survival of the fittest . Part b: genes & behaviour: process of phenotypic adaptation. Phenotype = gene + environment (this interaction is development) Behavioural phenotype: a) gene + environment cause brain development; b) brain + Environment produce internal response; c) response causes observable behaviour; d) consequences + brain cause learning (change in brain for next time period) Why genes and environment need each other: prepared learning: an example of a gene-environment interaction.