Evolution

=Learning outcome=

**Examine one evolutionary explanation of behavior** // Examine: Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of the issue. // toc

=Context= "//One principle (of the biological level of analysis)...is that behavior can be innate because it is genetically based. If this principle is accepted it is logical to believe that evolution may play a key role in behavior//." [|Crane & Hadad,] page 39

"//Another principle ... is that the environment presents challenges to each individual. This means that those who adapt best to the environment will have a greater chance of surviving ... and passing on their genes to their offspring ...Darwin's theory of evolution//" [|Crane & Hadad], page 57

=Constructing an answer=
 * Intro**
 * Define evolutionary perspective?
 * Thesis
 * what is the specific evolutionary perspective in relation to the behavior you are discussing?
 * What key factors are essential to your argument/perspective?
 * are there limitations to this argument?

Discussion of the assumption that the behavior is due to the theory of natural selection
 * Point 1**
 * Identify the first factor that you will discuss here
 * support the factor with evidence from at least 2 studies
 * to what extent are these studies reliable?

Discussion of the assumption that the behavior is due to the theory of natural selection
 * Point 2**
 * Identify the second factor that you will discuss here
 * support the factor with evidence from at least 2 studies
 * to what extent are these studies reliable?

Limitations of this argument ie. limitations of the evolutionary perspective in the context of THIS behavior (ie. one limitation would be connected to whether we can [|empirically test] evolutionary theory) Support your discussion of limitations with reference to at least 1 study
 * Point 3**

**What should you know?**

Theory
Darwin's theory of natural selection - the acquiring of adaptive characteristics Can you explain Darwin's theory of natural selection in your own words?

Crane - pages 57 - 59 //"It is important to remember that natural selection cannot select for a behaviour; it can only select for mechanisms that produce behaviour"// (Crane, page 58)
 * 1) What is Darwin's theory of natural selection?
 * 2) Why should we apply this theory to human behavior? How can animal studies give us more insight into why humans do what they do?

**Behavior 1: Attraction**
Read the article, take the survey Discuss: Would you rely on Fisher's comments to assess someone you are attracted to?
 * THINK**
 * [|The laws of chemistry]**

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 * WATCH**
 * [|Helen Fisher: The brain in love]**
 * Discussion:** What is Fisher's main premise in arguing that there is an evolutionary explanation for attraction?


 * READ**
 * 1) Mate selection (class handout). Eysenck, M. //Fundamentals of Psychology//
 * 2) [|Physical attractiveness in personal relationships](pages 36 to 37 -> scroll through the pdf document)
 * 3) [|Study reveals potential evolutionary role for same-sex attraction] (H//ow would you use this in discussing limitations of the body of evidence that there is an evolutionary explanation for the origins of attraction?)//
 * 4) [|The evolutionary puzzle of homosexuality] //(This article looks at the same study as the previous link but sets it in a wider context)//
 * 5) [|The tricky chemistry of attraction]


 * Further links **
 * [|It's better to be average - and 16 other surprising laws of human sexual attraction] __(__ //What are the limitations of this article? To what extent is this useful?//)
 * [|Attraction is not a choice] (//this is useful in that it mentions a number of studies and gives a competent overview. However, all studies should be cross-checked - this is not a peer-edited article)//
 * [|Fisher, H (1993; 2011) The Biology of Attraction.] " // Much of courtship and mating is choreographed by nature. In fact, nature designed men and women to work together. // "

__** SYNTHESIS **__
 * Identifying key factors for discussion **
 * Look back at the diagram in the Eysenck handout to help you identify factors for discussion in your essay. **
 * Examples **
 * male selection of partners
 * female selection of partners

Creating an essay answer
Use the essay outline above. __**PRODUCT**__ This essay will be outlined in KEYNOTE.

Create a script with a partner Peer edit with another pair Set up the sections of your key note Slides should consist of Record your script per slide [|Adding voiceover narration to a keynote presentation] [|Recording a narration for your slide show]
 * STEP 1 **
 * STEP 2**
 * Section titles
 * Sub-titles
 * KEY words only.
 * Diagrams ONLY IF YOU NEED THEM
 * STEP 3**

**Behavior 2: Spatial memory**
Matsuzawa's study of **spatial memory** in young chimps versus humans (2007)
 * Study #1**
 * differences in memory skills

Study's findings indicate that the young chimps Source: Elizabeth V. Lonsdorf, Stephen R. Ross, Tetsurō Matsuzawa, Jane Goodall, //The mind of the chimpanzee: ecological and experimental perspectives//, University of Chicago Press, p. 10
 * Significance**
 * were better than adults at retaining the location of large numbers of numerals at a glance, and hold duration caused no deterioration in performance.
 * the chimps demonstrated a form of eidetic or photographic memory
 * in one set of tests, numbers 1 - 9 were flashed on the screen for only 210 milliseconds - shorter than the time needed for the eye to actually move across the screen and read all the numbers
 * had a far better working memory capability for numerical recollection than human adults
 * "... the data can be interpreted according to the evolutionary trade-off hypothesis. The common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees may have possessed an extraordinary memory capability...At a certain point in evolution, because of limitations on brain capacity, the human brain may have acquired new functions in parallel with losing others - such as acquiring language while losing the visuospatial temporal storage ability shown (in Matsuzawa's experiment)
 * in the context of adaptation and natural selection, for humans the visuospatial temporal storage ability was not as important as language
 * Spatial memory in chimps is necessary when foraging for food - remembering the best places - humans may have lost this ability to replace it with language development

[] The study: [|Working memory of numerals in chimpanzees] Can you beat the chimp? [|Try it yourself!]
 * Further reading**

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Answer the following:
 * Your task**
 * 1) What studies illustrate that natural selection may carry out selections for mechanisms that produce specific behaviors?

=Behavior 3 - Disgust at certain foods= // ** Is food sensitivity an adaptive mechanism developed to protect women from food borne diseases during the most risky trimester? ** // Disgust is an evolved psychological system - organisms (eg. humans) will display disease avoidant behavior - this is a protective mechanism
 * Study #1 **
 * Navarrete & Fessler's study of the nausea experienced by pregnant women in their first trimester (2006) **
 * Behaviour **
 * the disgust reaction
 * adaptive behaviour that evolved to ensure success in reproduction

Many diseases that are most dangerous are food-borne but Early Man didn't have the choices modern man has. **One theory is that natural selection may have increased sensitivity to potentially dangerous foods during pregnancy in order to protect the fetus**
 * Significance **

Navarrete, C.D., Fessler, D.M.T., & Eng, S.J. (2007) Elevated ethnocentrism in the first trimester of pregnancy. Evolution and Human Behavior 28(1):60-65. //"Participants evaluated the authors of two essays written by students.// //Results indicate that women exhibit heightened attraction toward the ingroup and negativity toward the outgroup during that phase of pregnancy when both the women and their fetuses are most vulnerable to infection."//
 * Study 2**
 * 206 Participants for Web-based survey were recruited through postings to pregnancy-related Web sites targeting female adult U.S. citizens.
 * 18 to 42 years between Weeks 2 and 42 of pregnancy.
 * 1) //One essay presented the negative experiences and opinions of a foreigner critical of the United States and its citizens; the other presented an American’s positive appraisal of America and its values.//
 * 2) //Following each essay, participants were prompted with items from the Interpersonal Judgment Scale (IJS; Byrne, 1971). Using a 4 to 4 scale, participants evaluated the extent to which each author was likeable, intelligent, knowledgeable, moral, well adjusted, and truthful, as well as the extent to which they would want to work with each author//

Behavior 4: Phobias
[|Unlocking the psychology of snake and spider phobias]

Behavior 5: Rape?
[|Can We Blame Our Bad Behaviour on Cavemen?]