Evolutionary Psychology September 26 2011 Psychology traditionally is proximate in approach, immediate causes, not remote causes (ultimate) Psychology

hology needs to include ultimate causation, in evolution of life forms (humans) Working with proximate, or ultimate, are matters of preference , are different approaches Dichotomy is between purest proximate approach and approach that includes both Evolutionary psychologists want to look at both Proximate and ultimate are not separate but equal concepts, proximate for primitive minds, small children. As child matures he requires more ultimate explanations, when pre-adolescent find out more information, high school study hormonal basis of sex. Very curious? - Why sex? Why does sex exist? Why did sex evolve? Sex is a primary drive, hunger, thirst etc. Limited in knowledge base if you dont look into ultimate causes Sex therapists have advices and suggestions to increase sex drive If you look into ultimate causes, all animals follow decrease in sex drive following pairing, to allow mother to look more after offspring. Sex therapist should inform couple that this is normal behaviour for animals. Evolution not a scienceHuman beings evolve, big brain, culture is larger determinant of behaviour than biological reasons. But where did big brain come from? Evolutionary pscyh functions of hand conferred adaptive advantages to its bearer, tool makers, because of this big brain. We had a big brain because its adaptive in ecological situations. Form follows function! (confirmed, asked Prof!) Cultural theories dont have a lot of value if you dont consider ultimate causes Larger explanation considers ultimate causes; Inuit leave elders because shortage of food and resources, west Indians take in elders because not shortage of food and weather is good. Cant leave things at culture, science- all events are caused, explore causation, ultimate No science except behavioural science ignores ultimate causes.

MECHANISMS OF NATURAL SELECTION Darwin was pressured to present theory because of Russell Russell came to similar conclusions, presented jointly at biological meeting Darwin didnt want to present because he wasnt sure if he was correct, and he wanted to be absolutely sure. Reservations based on how natural selection can transform single celled creatures into humans??? Theory that worked slowly and counted on many chance events

Belief at the time that earth was 6 million years old, prevalent theory of mechanism of inheritance was blending, and this was detrimental to evolutionary theory. Enhanced scepticism of evolutionary theory. Mendel, Priest, passion for biological research, botany had made discoveries that resolved these doubts, cross bred peas that had opposed attributes (short stem vs. long stem)(round or wrinkled) always came out in ratio of 3:1 developed concept of dominant recessive genes and dominant recessive traits, genes became unit of heredity. Genes dont blend, are passed on intact. Mendels theory was important for Darwin. 65 years, 1930 Darwins followers recognized importance of Mendels theory, Fisher was prominent in group, Describe natural selection in terms of genes and traits. Natural selection became synthetic evolutionary theory Mendels contribution very important Variation? - Natural selection requires variation, genetically based differences in individuals, sufficient source or degree of variation? To explain diversity complexity of earthly life forms? Sources of variation in inheritance- Mutation, random changes in gene structure, mutations are infrequent, mutations result in deleterious shit. 2nd source of variation is sexual reproduction, in itself it is still limited because of so much diversity, it cant all be explained by sex, diversity requires more variation. 3rd source of variation, most important answered sufficient variation requirement; gamete has 1 of each pair, (gene shuffling, crossover), chromosomes exchange material with each other. This produces virtually infinite degree of variation from one generation to the next. Crossover- its as if mutations are constant Crossover produces consistent range of new genotypes in offspring 3 major kinds of natural selection Directional selection- evolutionary change that leads to different types in species, subspecies, subspecies lead to new species Stabilizing Selection- greater homogeneity in species, species occupy ecological niche, greater specialization to niche, maximum adaptation is reached Disruptive selectionWhy does all selection eventually become stabilizing? One answer is red queen theory red queen comes from Louis carol ( Alice in wonderland) sometimes you have to keep running to stay in same place lions/antelopes.. lions eat slower antelopes, antelopes become faster because slower ones die, lions evolve into either faster or more cunning, gotta keep running to stay in the same place. Humans have no predators, why have we evolved so much in short time? Virus- wiping out of entire species, main reason on directional selection- inclination to prey on each other, internal competition within humans, consistent evidence of intergroup competition, one group wants resources of other group, or one person in group wants more resources than others such as mates, foods etc. Why we have big brain? Function of human competition, first tools ever made were weapons not constructive tools..

Genetically programmed to form groups Why so much directional selection- less gradual than Darwin presented, more dependent on sudden ecological change. Allopatric theory (Myers) - in another place, directional selection that leads to changes in species when sample of pop becomes separated from main population, geographical isolation, flood, social reaction, separated pop not adapted to new environment, rapid changes to become more adapted to new ecological situation. Current version of allopatric theory- punctuated equilibrium- theory by Aldridge, elaboration of Myers theory most significant changes are episodic, take place in thousands of years, respond to ecological upheavals such as Cambrian explosion. Permian extinction- environmental upheaval-250 million years ago..50 percent of marine species (all species) became extinct, because of fusion of land masses. Cretaceous extinction- ice age- dinosaurs, reptiles , gave rise to mammals Ecological upheaval- new ecological space for new life forms to develop In fossil record there is no record of speciation- species seem to appear full blown; there is a missing link. Species do most of evolving soon after they appear, consistent with human data, most palaeontologists eptithus africanus first species of homosapiens 3 million year old fossils, same as fossils of 1 million years agohomo erectus branched off epithus, same for homo hallibus Speciation occurs too quickly to be detected in fossils, by time species are separated they have done evolving. Implication is most important physical/psychological characterisistics have remain unchanged such as mating, intergroup alliances, intergroup competition, raising offspring, inclination for territorial acquisition, have been with us since earliest evolutionary history. People in different places share same behavioural traits. We essentially are similar, differ only culturally, evolutionists tap into human nature that people have similar fundamental background. Punctuated equilibrium theory- environmental upheaval, more than 60 identified extinctions We are all basically the same! See up Most competition is for land and resources