01:830:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Promiscuity, Casual Sex, Social Learning Theory
6 Jun 2018
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Module 12: Evolutionary Psychology: Understanding Human Nature
Evolutionary Psychology: Natural Selection and Adaptation
▪ Behavioral geneticists explore the genetic and environmental roots of human differences
▪ Evolutionary psychology is the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles
of natural selection.
▪ Some variations arise from mutations; others from new gene combinations at
conception
▪ Evolutionary psychologists focus mostly on what makes us so much alike as humans.
Evolutionary Psychology: How Natural Selection Works
▪ Natural selection and adaptation
▪ Genes selected during our ancestral history give us a great capacity to learn and
therefore to adapt to life in varied environments.
▪ New genes combined at conception plus mutations—random errors in gene
replication can give advantageous variations
▪ Genes and experience together wire the brain.
▪ Adaptive flexibility in responding to different environments contributes to the ability to
survive and reproduce.
Evolutionary Psychology Today
Begi ith a speies’
genome, which
contains a variety of
versions of genes
that shape traits.
Conditions make it
difficult for individuals
with some traits (some
versions of those
genes) to survive long
enough to reproduce.
Other individuals thus
have their traits and
gees seleted to
spread in the
population.
Evolutionary Psychology: Our Genetic Legacy
▪ Humans share a common genetic profile or genome.
▪ No more than 5% of the genetic differences among humans arise from population group differences
▪ 95% of genetic variation exists within populations
▪ Those who survived, got genes into the gene pool
▪ Function of nausea during pregnancy helps avoid potential harms to fetus
▪ A uiersal oral graar is shared aross ultural differees.
▪ All people share moral instincts that make us averse to doing direct harm to others
▪ We are predisposed to give parental care, to share fears as well as lusts
▪ Yet, some parts of our prehistoric genetic legacy may be mismatched with our contemporary lifestyle.
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