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Lecture 1 - Introduction
Standard explanations for human behaviour
Standard Social Science Model (SSSM)
1. Animals are rigidly controlled by their biology, human behaviour
determined by culture.
2. Human infants born with nothing apart from a few reflexes and
an ability to learn.
WHY should females prefer any particular trait (like long tails)?
Traits can be genetic fitness indicators – if a male can survive
despite a long tail, he must be better than average in other
respects.
Sexual selection produces
1. Rapid evolutionary change
2. Excessive and extravagant adaptations
3. Individual differences that are not eliminated by selection
4. Traits that make one a desirable partner
5. Traits rarely produced by convergent evolution
• avoiding predators
• eating the right food
• attracting mates
• forming alliances
• “reading others people’s minds”
E.g. Rape - most social scientists try to explain this behaviour as “maladaptive” but
evolutionary psychologists indicate possible adaptive benefits.
• Homosexuality – bisexuality is selected for, and a side effect is some people
being 100% homosexual?
It is not always possible to explain behaviours as “adaptive” and we must take into
account the following:
1. In some cases the environment may change more rapidly than the organism can
evolve.
7. Mental disorders
Phobias : fear of snakes vs. fear of guns
Depression: Should withdraw from a major life endeavour and
start a new one?
(http://www-personal.umich.edu/~nesse/publications.htm)