Flashcards
Evolutionary Psychology Lecture 2 Notes
Cards in this deck (15)
- 1What kind of traits does adaptation favour?Those that maximise inclusive fitness.
- 2What kind of biological traits are NOT adaptive?Evolutionary by-products. Adaptation was going for something else but produces these by accident. They don’t increase or decrease reproductive success, so natural selection leaves them there.
- 3Why would we gain traits that are Maladaptive?Because they trade off with benefits;
Choking and speech in humans (we are the only species that can choke, but also speak, making it worth the risk) - 4What is the other possible cause of adaptation?Genetic Drift, when it is totally random.
- 5What is Sexual Selection?The competition for mates rather than resources. This can result in traits that do not or even detract from individual survival, but increase chances of finding a mate, so are worth it.
- 6How does Sexual Selection function?Those with more desirable sexual traits are mated with, those with less desirable sexual traits are not. This naturally narrows them down to more desirable.
- 7What are the 2 kinds of Sexual Selection?Inter-sex Selection and Intra-sex Selection.
- 8Explain Inter-Sex Selection.Peacock Tail
Does not improve flight. Vulnerable to predators. Females prefer long colourful tails. This means that any mail with a long tail benefits. It might suggest ‘good’ genes: healthy and can survive long enough even with handicap. It might also be purely arbitrary trait to serve the whim of females - 9Explain Intra-Sex Selection.The competition for mates within one sex (normally males). This means they have better traits to fight with, such as weapons, strategy, size or sperm.
- 10What are the costs of Sex?- Time: Finding mates and persuade
- Energy: Approach and act
- Vulnerability: To predators, competitors
- Proximity: Aggression (such as spiders)
- Disease transmission
- Only transmit half your genes (half # offspring) - 11What are the advantages of Sex?- Introduces variability, better chance of adaptation to changing environment
- Better ability to overcome diseases, competitors, and predators: genetic arms race. (quick spread of ‘beneficial’ mutations, improved immune system)
- DNA repair during meiosis - 12How do you identify sex? And how not?Not by:
External difference, Pregnancy/Taking care of offspring, Phallus/Genitals
Yes by:
Gametes, egg = female, sperm = male - 13What do females invest in terms of gametes?- All necessary biochemical machinery
- Large
- Most with food
- Most with protective shell
- Expensive to produce
- Few produced - 14What do males invest in terms of gametes?- Naked DNA + Motor
- Small
- No food
- No protective shell
- Cheap to produce
- Lots produced - 15What is Sexual Dimorphism?Difference in male-female body size (or other traits).
Male-Male competition withing species = High dimorphism
Normally found in polygynous species
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- Psychology (Evolutionary Psychology) Flashcards on Evolutionary Psychology Lecture 2 Notes, created by Aaron Thain on 28/01/2019.
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