IB syllabus says:

1. Genetics & Behavior IB syllabus says: Key principle demonstrated: patterns of behavior can be inherited

2. Evolutionary Psychology examines how behaviors shown today may have had an adaptive function, therefore we are ‘prewired’ to learn and behave in certain ways

3. Evolutionary Psychology: Explaining Universal Behaviors Evolutionary psychology is the science that seeks to explain why humans act the way they do. Evolutionary psychology seeks to reconstruct problems that our ancestors faced in their primitive environments, and the problem-solving mechanisms they created to meet those particular challenges. From these reconstructed problem-solving adaptations, the science then attempts to establish the common roots of our ancestral behavior, and how those common behavioral roots are manifested today in the widely scattered cultures of the planet. The goal is to understand human behavior that is universally aimed at the passing of one's genes into the next generation.

4. Evolutionary Psychology • Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: The Origin of the Species (1859) • All species evolve gradually through ‘natural selection’ – only traits that are advantageous are would be selected, and those that inhibits an organisms chance of survival would die out. • Problem with this view: there are many characteristics that seem to have no advantages to those who have them – e.g. mental disorders. • Evolutionary Psychologists –focus more on how behaviours may have been adaptive in our ancestral past (known as the ‘ultimate’ explanation). • The modern mind - has evolved from problems faced by our ancestors hundreds and thousands of years ago, and may appear to have no clear advantages today (eg. Depression) may have given our ancestors an advantage in their struggle for survival

5. Natural Selection at Work • 1959 Russian Fox story • 40 Males, 100 Females- mated- then kept only tamest of bunch. • Mated the tames. • 40 years later • New Breed of Fox

6. Look at our Behaviors… Can you answer these questions using evolutionary psychology? • Why do infants fear strangers when they become mobile? • Why are most parents devoted to their children? • Why do we divide people into categories? • Why do we have more phobias about spiders and snakes than electricity and nuclear weapons? Now, the big one?

7. How and why do men and women differ sexually?

8. Of course, there are other differences….

9. Sexuality and the Evolutionary Psychologist • Casual sex is more accepted by men. • When average men and women randomly ask strangers for sex tonight, 75% of men agreed, almost no women agreed. WHY?

10. Sperm is Cheap Eggs are not

11. Men want: Healthy Young Waist 1/3 narrower than hips. Women want: Wealth Power Security What do men and women want?(According to Evolutionary Psychology)

12. Can this change?

13. Studying the ultimate causes of behaviour • Evolutionary looks at the Ultimate causes of behaviour • This requires the understanding of a traits of people our original (i.e. ancestral) environment. (The environment of evolutionary adaptiveness - EEA 1.5 to 2.5 million years ago) • A behaviour such as depression may represent the expression of normal human traits, which were helpful in the past, but maladaptive today • Understanding ultimate causes of mental disorders is important. • Evolutionary psychology seeks to explain behavior in terms of its ultimate causes

14. Examining evolutionary explanations of behavior • Divide into three groups. • Group 1 – Evolutionary theory and gender (handout) • Group 2 – Evolutionary theory and disgust (Crane 58) • Group 3- Evolutionary theory and depression (PPT slides 15 -21 )

15. In your group…… • What was the ultimate cause of the assigned behavior/trait? i.e what function did it play? • How did the behavior/trait make a difference in helping one adapt? • Does the behavior/trait fulfill a function today or are they maladaptive? • Outline theoretical evolutionary explanation(s) for the behavior/trait. • Identify studies undertaken in developing theory. • Evaluate the explanation.

16. Depression - One of most common reason for going to the doctor 20% lifetime risk.

17. Is depression maladaptive or not? • Argued that depression may not be maladaptive in evolutionary terms, because having depression served a purpose to our ancestors in the EEA • There are several reasons for thinking this: • Depression genes – Would NOT have evolved if it had no benefit in some way, and some research shows this • Nesse & Williams (1994) – Found depression → a universal disorder, with high incidence rates in most societies • Howell (1979) – Found depression in traditional societies such as Kung-San of South Africa (so its not just found in industrialised societies) • 2 main theories help explain HOW depression may have evolved as an adaptive response: • Social Competition Hypothesis • Social Navigation Hypothesis

18. Social Competition Hypothesis (Price et al, 1994) • An adaptive response for a person who loses a conflict/status in a group, forces the loser to: • Stop competing with the winner (e.g. for food) • Accept defeat • Signal their submission to the winner (stopping further conflict) • According to the theory → being depressed will help keep loser alive, but hold a subordinate position in the dominance hierarchy • This produces symptoms → Low self esteem, Decrease in sexual activity, Loss of energy • In humans → conflicts may arise over promotions or resources, (or when you lose a close person) • So the depression Gene → passed along (via natural selection) may now be activated in situations which don’t involve the loss of rank, but loss of another sort –this makes it psychologically maladaptive – but in evolutionary terms – its an adaptive response .

19. Brown et al. (1995) - Acts as a yielding signal to the winner and acts as a ‘safety valve’ to protect the loser’s reproductive success. • Nesse (2000) depression is adaptive because they eliminate dangerous attempts to challenge authority. • But depression may also be caused by emotional problems or through brain dysfunction (proximate causes). • Even though its may be adaptive (have adaptive roots) it does not discount for the fact that depression can be a very serious medical problem.

20. Social Navigation Hypothesis (Watson & Andrews, 2002) • Suggests depression has evolved to perform 2 complementary social problem-solving functions: • Social Rumination – Directs limited cognitive resources to plan exits from complex social problems • – It’s in the interests of the depressed person to shut down interests in other areas and to focus on more important matters (e.g. divorce). As a result depressed people → focus more on (-ve) social information more so than other people • Social Motivation – Provides an honest signal of need, some partners (within a group) may be willing to help; if they feel the benefits out-weigh the cost • Personal costs of depression (e.g. loss of libido, motivation) have implications on close social partners (e.g. wife, husband) so they then help

21. Evaluation of social navigation hypothesis • Hartlage et al (1993) – Found supportive evidence of social rumination → Depressed people underperformed on cognitively demanding tasks (e.g. memory tests), as there efforts were more focuses/committed elsewhere. • Hawton & Fagg (1992) – Found supportive evidence for social motivation → Suicide attempts of depressed people stopped when their relationships improved. • On the other hand, Strassman & Dunbar (1990) – Believe depression could be the result of the modern breakdown of the nuclear family, which is close-knit and strong kin support.

22. Present…..

23. Evaluative points for evolutionary theory • The theory is speculative – its difficult to carry out experiments to prove the theories • Hayes states that there is a tendency to ignore ‘null’ findings. (findings that don’t fit in with the theory) • To concerned with passed events (the EEA – 1.5 and 2.5 million years ago ) – the world is very different now! (Stephen Rose – he thinks that evolutionary psychology gives a ‘Flintstone’ view of mankind)

24. Cont • But – we need to look at the past to understand what may appear like maladaptive behaviour today. • Hind states that its too focussed on other species – may not apply to humans. • The approach is known as Genetic Determinism – Focus on present also useful method of explanation. • Honeybourne –described ev. psych as ‘biological Calvinism’ – i.e. your genes determine everything. It’s all pre-set in your genes. Nothing you can do about it.

25. Some ideas • Intelligence research based on faulty assumptions and methods • Was used in order to be selective- Binet?? Political systems?? Researcher bias? • IQ tests culturally biased. • Family resemblance studies poorly controlled • Eugenics led to injustice. • People selected for jobs etc based on IQ tests • Self-fulfilling prophecy? Stigmatization?

26. Before doing genetic research Ethical considerations must be….…. • People MUST give consent and be assured of confidentiality and privacy. Codes could be used • Information must be transparent- what will to any genetic material. • Aims must be shared in lay- man’s terms. • What about any really difficult results that genetic tests may reveal?? • Consult parents, family, community if necessary.

27. http://genomics.energy.gov – Human genome project 63 • Think about • Fairness in how genetic information is used. • Who owns and controls genetic information (privacy and confidentiality)? • How can genetic information stigmatize and /or result in psychological consequences for people? • Reproduction-who decides? • Issues relating to free will and determinism

28. Discuss ethical considerations in research into genetic influences on behavior • Look up the command term discuss… • Offers a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions and conclusions must be supported by appropriate evidence. • Using the two handouts provided and Crane p59 list the ethical considerations into research. • In your group write a conclusion regarding ethical considerations into genetic research with evidence. • Post your ideas on the white board for next week!!

29. Review questions….. • Using short, one phrase responses unless otherwise requested answer the questions in the bio folder on the portal….” evolution questions

30. Final review of bio LOA • Turn to your copy of the IB syllabus. • Using each learning outcome note down the content relevant to that learning outcome. Ensure you have the necessary notes. • Annotate/index the actual syllabus