Tuesday, January 14, 2014Evolutionary Perspectives on Our Common Human NatureDarwinian Evolution 101: five key ideas- The theory of Evolution by Natural Selection is a biologica theory of life, its variety, and how it changes over time.- It is not a theory of geology, or the universe, or technology- Is it not the only perspective on Personality—but it is a big one and it is a big one.- Three Basic Principles of the theory:1. The Principle of Variation: most important variable when pertaining to this courseo Different species and organisms within the same species show variation in their traits—see variation across species when certain species can adapt and change to fit into the environment to make their nicheo It’s nature’s protection against environmental change and an unknowable future—variability and individual differences are the ruleo Ex: British and Dutch Great Tit & Global warming—something has started to happen globally that temperatures rise, and the British Great Tits were able to adapt to the temperate change, whereas the Dutch Great Tit are struggling to evolve o Importantly, Evolutionary processes have no foresight!o We’re not evolving “toward” any certain goal. Species change w/ environment changes.o Since we don’t know what traits we will need, best to keep a variety around…o Ex: ‘Pushiness’ or ‘Assertiveness’ in US vs. Bulgaria—different customs and cultureso In humans, some mechanisms seems to ensure variabilityo Ex. The Sweaty T-shirt Study (Wedekind, 2008)—men sleep in t-shirt for 4 nights, then they bring women in to smell the shirts and there is something unconsciously knows that the immune system is a little bit different but not too different.2. The Principle of inheritanceo Inheritance: traits are “heritable” passed from one generation to the nexto Adaptation: some traits enable individuals to be better adaptedto the selective pressures of their environments—successful at getting their genes to the next generationo AKA to have fitness: the ability to survive and reproduce viableoffspringo We measure whether a trait increases fitness if it helps them with natural selection (think survival: cautious, risky, smarter, stronger)o Darwin’s finches: each of his finches had different beaks that each worked as different toolso Human’s appetite & disgust response3. The Principle of AdaptationThe two mechanisms of the theory:1. Natural Selection2. Sexual Selection: Pressures of Sexual Selection: many organisms compete for reproductive opportunities—80% of human females, but only 40% of males, have reproduced a. More competition between the sexesb. Some traits become more exaggerated via being sexually selected (i.e. the Peacock tail—costly attribute intersexual competition)c. Giraffe neck (intra-sexual competition) The Functionalist Perspective:o Humans—Creativity/ humor? whatever can demonstrate social value is much more preferred over other qualities with no or little social valueo Thus, our traits are largely evolved for fitness in an outdates Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA) o Hasn’t exited for 10,000 yearso Complex traits requires 1,000-10,000 generations to evolve—20,000-200,000o We’re living in a modern world with stone age minds.”o Obesity epidemic in America—understand overeating by linking it back to evolved physiological systemso Micro-evolutions sine the Agricultireal Revolution?o Lactose Tolerance & Skin PigmentationEvolutionary perspectives on “universal” life tasksHow does this connect to Personality?o To meet the “Ultimate” goals of evolution, organisms must cintend with a number of “proximate” goals day to dayo Ultimate: survival and reproductiono Proximate= not starving, attracting a mte, building allianceo From evolutionary aspect—presonality is the typical ways in which one goes on about compelling all these proximate goalso Ex. Douglass Kenrick, 2010: cannot move up the pyramid, until the basic tasks are taken care ofoParentingParentingMate Retention : low jealousy vs. high jealousyMate Retention : low jealousy vs. high jealousyMate AcqusitionMate AcqusitionStatus/ Esteem: prestige motives vs. dominance motivesStatus/ Esteem: prestige motives vs. dominance motivesAffiliation: fear of strangersAffiliation: fear of strangersself-protection: high introversion in socciety (or could have a lot of friends)self-protection: high introversion in socciety (or could have a lot of friends)Immediate physiolgocial needs: morning person or a night person?Immediate physiolgocial needs: morning person or a night
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