PSYC 4750 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Evolutionary Psychology, Sexual Selection, Heredity

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 4750
• Professor: Erin Rock

Document Summary

Human nature: behavioral motivational and emotional characteristics that people have in common in spite of environmental and cultural differences. Both heredity (nature) and experience (nurture) contribute to the motivation of behavior. Psychological mechanism evolve to solve problems of adaptation. Biological and social needs and incentives that exist in societies the world over. Universals: motives and valued incentives that are common throughout the world. Genes: dna segments that provide information to build brain and body from one generation to the next. Neurophysiological structures are physical basis for psychological mechanisms or universal motives. Evolved to solve environmental problems of evolutionary past. Without desire, behavior would be too costly, and there would be no children. Romantic love attachment between couples that promotes commitment. Glue that evolved to bind people together for their mutual benefit. One sex selects individual from the other sex for mating based on some trait of the latter. Competition (males) vs choice (females) natural selection tale of the peacock .