Explanations in Psychology Attachment Theory Attribution Theory Availability Heuristic Bystander Effect Classical Conditioning Cognitive Dissonance Th

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1 Toward a Unified Evolutionary Psychology Many sciences develop for a time as exercises in description and empirical generalization. Only later do they acquire reasoned connections within themselves and with other branches of knowledge. --George Williams,

2 Explanations in Psychology Attachment Theory Attribution Theory Availability Heuristic Bystander Effect Classical Conditioning Cognitive Dissonance Theory Stage Theories of Development Confirmation Bias Conformity More Explanations in Psychology Culture Defense Mechanisms Deindividuation Drive-reduction reduction Theory Egocentrism Equity Theory Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation False Consensus Effect Feel-good, do-good phenomenon 2

3 Yet More Explanations in Psychology Fixation Foot-in-the-door phenomenon Framing Frustration-Aggression Theory Fundamental Attribution Error Gender Identity Gender Role Theory Groupthink Heuristics and Biases Yes, there are more Explanations in Psychology Hindsight Bias Identity Theory Individualism Ingroup Bias Internal vs. External Locus of Control Just-world phenomenon Learned Helplessness Mere Exposure Effect Misinformation Effect Mood-Congruent Memory Effect Motivation Theory 3

4 Evolutionary Psychology Adds the why questions: Why do humans possess psychological mechanisms in the form they do? What specific adaptive function does each mechanism serve? Toward a Unified Evolutionary Psychology Psychology organized around adaptive problems Progress hinges on discovering evolved solutions to specific problems And meta-mechanisms mechanisms that govern and sequence activation of other mechanisms Are there any other alternatives? 4

5 Evolutionary Psychology Provides a unifying lens through which to view diverse empirical phenomena. Unites the different branches of psychology Unites psychology with the other life sciences TOPIC Why Evolutionary Psychology? Foundations of EP Psychological Foundations The hostile forces of nature: food The hostile forces of nature: survival Women s LT mating strategies Men s LT mating strategies Short-term sexual strategies Problems of parenting Problems of kinship Cooperation Aggression and warfare Conflict between the sexes Status, prestige, dominance Psychopathology Memes 5

6 Food selection Disgust reactions in humans to feces, carcinogens, etc. Finding a Place to Live: A Womb with a View The Savanna Hypothesis 6

7 Standards of beauty are in the adaptations of the beholder 7

8 Hamilton s rule: rb - c > 0 -c +b r How likely (r) does have my copy?! Bart s inclusive fitness = 1(-c)+ )+r(b) > 0 rb > c 8

9 Dominance: The Genghis Khan Effect 9

10 What have we not talked about? Traditional Cognitive Psychology Cognitive architecture is: General purpose Content free 10

11 Tests of spatial skills show that gender differences vary according to the type of task in question. Boys tend to perform better than girls on tasks that involve mental rotation. In the task shown here, children have to determine which of the responses matches the standard. Gender 11

12 Language Categorization and induction 12

13 Infants have domain-specific mechanisms Math Physics Psychology Animacy Causality Inf ants have domaingeneral mechanisms Ov er 90 percent of them, when poked, f ailed to make ev en rudimentary attempts to def end themselv es. Habituation Associative learning Conditioning Imitation 13

14 How do we know where to find evolved specialized mechanisms? Domain-specific solutions Predator avoidance High cost Developing Avoiding heights Perceptual constancy attachments Low structure High structure Language learning Learning about physics Knowledge of animacy cues Math learning Low cost Domain-general solutions General questions 14

15 The Standard Social Science Model Tooby and Cosmides (1992) 1. There is a psychic unity of human nature - we all have the same basic mental characteristics or human nature 2. Differences between people arise from differences in experience and cultures 3. Biological constraints on behavior are unimportant: we have few instincts or biological drives 4. Learning operates by a small number of general- purpose mechanisms 5. Aim of psychology is to discover how culture and experience, through general learning mechanisms, produce behavior After taking this class where do you stand? Do you buy into EP? Or do you think that the SSSM holds? Have you applied EP to your everyday life? Will you continue to do so? 15

16 Adam s question Have you applied EP to your everyday life? How can you use EP in the future? TOPIC Why Evolutionary Psychology? Foundations of EP Psychological Foundations The hostile forces of nature: food The hostile forces of nature: survival Women s LT mating strategies Men s LT mating strategies Short-term sexual strategies Problems of parenting Problems of kinship Cooperation Aggression and warfare Conflict between the sexes Status, prestige, dominance Psychopathology Memes 16

17 How far can EP be applied? Does it work for all areas of psychology or just some? How far can EP be applied? Does it work for all areas of psychology or just some? Do you see EP as the future direction for psychology? 17

18 General questions What would you change about this course? Readings? Book? Assignments? Class format? My hair? Final questions or comments? 18