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UA PSY 200 - Evolutionary Psychology and Adaptations
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Lecture 3 Outline of Last Lecture I. The Scientific Method structureII. The Scientific Method key concepts and variablesIII. Quantitative and qualitative approaches to the research methodIV. The connection between theory and researchV. Research biasVI. Scientific Method exampleVII. Reading: supplemental reading #1 (available on D2L)Outline of Current Lecture I. AdaptationII. Characteristics of EPMs (evolved psychological mechanisms)III. Four classes of adaptive problems and their theoretical components Current LectureI. Adaptation- Adaptations are inherited/reliably developing characteristics that occurred through the process of natural selection and have helped solve the problem of survival and reproduction, adjusting to the environment. Adaptations have a genetic basis which means that every characteristic we have today we got from our ancestors. Adaptations must be the characteristic of most/all members of a species, for example, our great ancestors learned how to walk to live a more successful life and therefore we all naturally know how to walk. Adaptations are created by the process of selection, where each generation has to face its own problems that they need to dealwith. Adaptations have their own period of evolution where advantageous characteristics are passed down generations. - An example of adaptation is with the peppered moth. The moth was originally the color of ivory but after the industrialization age the trees turned dark so the moths weren’t able to camouflage themselves on the trees in order to find from predators. The moth were able to evolve to a darker color in order to hide. With the Clean Air Act the moths were able to change back to their ivory color to camouflage with the trees again. II. Characteristics of EPMs (evolved psychological mechanisms)- Evolved psychological mechanisms are a set of processes within an organism, which are stored in the brain, have solved particular problems our ancestors faced and were unable to solve, are elicited because of particular situations, and process environmental information. These EPMs PSY 200 1nd Editioninclude things that help us survive such as our natural instinct to learn how to talk which allows for communication, jealousy because it tells us that something is wrong and phobias toward danger because it keeps people safe. EPMs exists in the form they do because it led to success during the time they were evolved. Properties of EPMs include them being problem-specific where problems of survival and reproduction have been solved. EPMs interpret small portions of information and pay close attention to details. EPMs rely on environment input, must be triggered and input signals and adaptive problem like surviving. For example, when an individualsees a dangerous animal the natural instinct is to run to safety. EPMs also include decision making skills, such as the fight or flight situation. EPMs result in particular psychological, physiological, behavioral, and/or cognitive reactions and are directed toward solutions for specific adaptive problems. Such as the response to jealously, the input is the evaluation of the situation, the output is the response to the situation and it may be psychological or behavioral. III. Four classes of adaptive problems and their theoretical components - Adaptive problems are “things” that are required for successful reproduction and aid in successful reproduction. These problems fall into four different categories of survival and growth, mating, parenting, and living in society. Survival and growth refers to finding food and shelter and avoiding danger. Climate, weather, food shortages, toxins, diseases, parasites, predators may all impede the survival of an individual. Over time, humans have evolved in orderto overcome these obstacles. For example, living in Tucson we know in order to survive we needto stay hydrated. Mating refers to the selecting, attracting and retaining of a good mate. Females typically invest more time into the child’s life than the father. While the father is never certain that the child is his. Women look out for long-term partners to help them raise a child while males are less likely looking for a long term due to the paternity uncertainty. Parenting is the raising of the children to adulthood and balancing needs of all the family members. Parents share their resources equally with each child until they reach adulthood. Conflict arises when the children want more from their parent’s resources than they are able to give. Living in society refers to helping members of kin and non-kin. Altruism is natural towards relatives but non-relatives can care for each other too. Generally when non-kin individuals help each other with something, the favor is eventually returned so both parties are benefitted. - Adaptive problems are evolved mechanisms that have helped humans to survive and reproduce in order to pass on their characteristics. Natural selection will continue to bring new adaptationsin order to face the next


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UA PSY 200 - Evolutionary Psychology and Adaptations

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