PSYC18H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Orbitofrontal Cortex, Insular Cortex, Facial Symmetry
Document Summary
Evolution: the theory of how species developed; central concept of biology. Evidence darwin used: similarity of human emotional expressions to other animals. Selection pressures: core of natural selection: for humans: features of physical and social environments that determine whether individuals survived and reproduced, include threats or opportunities related to physical survival. Food, water, stay in right temperature: preference for sweet foods, aversion to bitter foods, thermoregulatory systems, and fight or flight response developed in response to selection pressure. Genes passed on during reproduction from one generation to the next. Two kinds of sexual pressures: intersexual competition: process by which one sex selects specific kinds of traits in the other sex. Women and men prefer mates of good character: intrasexual competition: competition for mates within a sex. Nesse: argued that fitness increased for those who are preferred by others as social partners: fitness also increased for those preferred as sexual partners. Fitness: the likelihood of surviving and reproducing successfully.
