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Evolution

Evolution. 2.2 Genetics and behaviour. Evolution Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The environment challenges the individual

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Evolution

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  1. Evolution 2.2 Genetics and behaviour

  2. EvolutionCharles Darwin’stheory of evolution • The environment challenges the individual • Which leads to that those who adapt best to the environments challenges will have a greater chance of surviving, giving offspring, and so pass on their genes to next generation.

  3. The theory of naturalselection Charles Robert Darwin 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882

  4. Survival of the fittest Onedevelopcharacteristicsthataresuitable for the environment - adaption

  5. DARWIN AWARDS FAVORITE QUOTE! "Just think how stupid the average person is,and then realize that half of themare even stupider!"--George Carlin

  6. Darwin laid the foundation for psychologist and biologisttostudy animals – to get moreinsightabout humans

  7. Examples of whatonecanstudyusing animals (and mostlyprimates)

  8. Evolutionarypsychology • Genes mutate, thosethatareadvantageousarepassed down through a process of naturalselection • They try toexplainhowwehavedeveloped over time and why

  9. Naturalselectioncannotselect a behaviour! Canonlyselectmechanismsthatproducebehaviour

  10. Oneexample of evolutionary research The study of emtions: Fessler (2006) did research on disgust

  11. Study on disgust • Fesslerarguedthatdisgustallowedourancestorstosurvive long enoughtoproduceoffspring.

  12. Fessler study on disgust • FesslerInvestigatedthe nauseaexperienced by womenbeginning of theirpregnancy • Duringthis period an infusion of hormoneslowers the expectantmother’s immune system so as not to fight the new foreigngenetic material in herwomb. • His theory: maybe the nausearesponsehelpstocompensate for the suppressed immune system

  13. Method • 496 pregnant women, • Let them consider 32 potentially stomach-turning scenarios • Let them rank how disgusting they were • Example: sticking a fish hook through their finger

  14. Disgust • Another study by Curtis et al. (2004) whocarriedout an online test to test whethertherearepatterns in people’sdisgustresponses. Try it now: • http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/disgust

  15. Results of the studies Fessler • Women scored higher in the beginning of their pregnancy and the ones having morning sickness scored high on the ones involving food. • Natural selection may have helped compensate for the increased susceptibility to disease during this risky period in pregnancy, by increasing the urge to picky about food Curtis • Disgust was stronger for those images which threaten our immune system – women showed higher which supports the first study as well • Disgust decreased with age

  16. Evolutionary psychology • Weaknesses: • They see what they want to see – confirmation bias. Difficult to test the theories • Little know how it really was back in time – hypothetical • Underestimate the role of culture in shaping behaviour

  17. Article for next class • Read the article Eugenics revisited • Come prepared to discuss the article on Wednesday • come up with at least two discussion questions for the class to discuss

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