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Module 12: Human Nature and Cultural Diversity | Module 13: Genes, Gender and Culture
Why is social psychology rooted in evolutionary psychology?
human beings are pre-wired to be social creatures
humans are pre-wired to identify threats vs. allies
although the main purpose of human beings is to have offspring, we are selective in our mates because we want offspring with desirable traits
What are the 3 most desirable traits we want our offspring to have?
beauty, intelligence, and some unique skill that sets them apart from others
What is kin selection?
when we are more likely to help family and encourage them to reproduce if they have desirable traits to pass on
What is culture?
a group of people with shared behaviors, ideas, beliefs, traditions, practices,
How does culture differ in a homogeneous society vs. a heterogeneous society?
culture is strong in a homogeneous society and diluted in a heterogeneous society
What are norms?
unwritten rules about how to behave
How are norms taught?
by modeling
What are norms often driven by?
gender
What results from breaking norms?
disapproval from others in your culture
What is an example of a norm?
personal space
Why do we like when people are similar to us?
it makes us feel comfortable
How are humans more alike than different?
we all learn to walk around the same age
we all learn to speak our respective languages around the same age
there are very few differences in the anatomy of the brain
What are universal norms?
norms that exist within every culture
What are the 5 universal norms?
friendship
personality
status
criminal code
social belief dimensions
How is friendship a universal norm?
all cultures value trustworthiness and loyalty in friends
How is personality a universal norm?
regardless of how they may differ, all cultures have a sort of personality to them
How is status a universal norm?
all cultures have some type of social hierarchy
How is criminal code a universal norm?
all cultures have certain norms that are so important they become law
How are social belief dimensions a universal norm?
all cultures have:
cynicism vs. optimism
social complexity
reward for application
spirituality
fate control
What are the 2 unique universal norms that go into their own separate category?
incest taboo and war
How is incest taboo a universal norm?
all cultures believe incestual relationships are bad because they create genetic anomalies that could passed on for generations
How is war a universal norm?
certain rules and boundaries exist during war:
fighting should happen between warriors; women, children, and elderly are off-limits
if a warrior is injured, you take care of them, and if you can’t, you put them out of their misery
the rules go out of the window when war is over, and the victors get the spoils
What does gender similarity focus on?
the 45/46 chromosomes that all humans have in common
What do gender differences focus on?
the 1 chromosome that differs between humans
How are males and females different in terms of social connection?
women are much more socially connected than men, as men are usually only socially connected in regard to group affiliation/membership
How are females more socially connected than males?
females…
prioritize social relationships based on social connection
are more socially organized
are more concerned with harmony and good feeling than winning and losing
will take careers with more social connectedness
smile more
have a superior range of empathetic responses
How are males and females different in terms of social dominance?
in most cultures, men are more socially dominant
How are males more socially dominant than females?
males…
covet power and achievement
are goal-driven and task-oriented
tend to dominate politics
prefer a black and white way of dealing with politics (conservative vs. liberal, right vs. wrong)
usually do the asking out, driving, and paying
How are males and females different in terms of aggression?
males are seen as more aggressive than females
Why are males seen as more aggressive?
in the U.S., for every 1 female incarcerated for a violent crime, there are at least 10 males incarcerated for that same crime
for males, fighting to resolve a conflict is more socially acceptable
for females, outward physical aggression is frowned upon and viewed as “unladylike,” so they use indirect methods (verbal, social, passive)
How are males and females different in terms of sexuality?
in most cultures, men are more likely to initiate sex, fantasize about it, and have multiple partners
sexual economics – women hold the power when it comes to sex, and men always have to exchange something in order to gain it (i.e. gifts, acts of service)
women rarely have to pay for sex
when women pay for male prostitutes, it’s rarely about sex, and more about feeling special and desirable
What are gender and mating preferences?
when we unconsciously look for specific genetic characteristics we want passed on, particularly physical appearance and health
What are examples of gender and mating preferences?
women look at jawline and teeth, men look at bust to hips to waist ratio
Why do women have a larger investment in mating?
they have to physically bear children
What kind of men do women look for?
those with striking physical characteristics balanced with traits that make them good caretakers of children
Why are younger women attracted to physical dominance in men?
they desire protection
What type of women are attracted to financially dominant women?
older
How are expectations for appearance different between males and females?
males simply have to maintain a good physique, while women go to great lengths to further their beauty, even if it’s painful
What does testosterone drive?
mating preferences
What does testosterone help men handle?
rejection
How is testosterone regulation different between males and females?
those in males are regulated within seconds, but those in females are regulated over 28 days (menstrual cycle)
How do men change as they age?
young men tend to be more domineering and assertive, and as they get older, they become more empathetic and less domineering
How does testosterone change in males when it comes to relationships?
testosterone is high in males when pursuing someone and initially dating them, then lowers once the relationship is committed
What are gender roles?
a set of expected behaviors based on societal and cultural norms
What are examples of gender roles?
females are expected to take care of the house, and males are expected to repair it
How do many cultures give boys wings and girls roots?
they teach boys to be independent, give them more freedom, and encourage them to make mistakes while they tie girls to tradition and keep them closer to home
What are the 4 major events in the U.S. that changed the way society views women and their roles?
women’s suffrage
women in the workplace (WWII)
invention of birth control
Title IX
How did women’s suffrage change society’s view of women and their roles?
it gave women the ability to shape law and allowed them to get voted into office
How did women in the workplace (WWII) change society’s view of women and their roles?
it proved women could do physically taxing tasks
How did the invention of birth control change society’s view of women and their roles?
it allowed women to have sex with little to no consequence
How did Title IX change society’s view of women and their roles?
when it came to education, women would get the same access and accommodations as men
neurotransmitters
communicators of the nervous system; talk through chemicals
Goldilocks principle
"just right"; perfect amount of neurotransmitters equals normal behavior
abnormal behavior
oversupply/undersupply of neurotransmitters
illicit drugs
temporarily create an undersupply or oversupply of neurotransmitters
lock and key
type of relationship between neurotransmitters and receptor sites; if all receptor sites are used, then the message is received
characteristics of a neurotransmitter
work quickly
serve a specific function
released next to an adjacent nerve cell
ACh
primary neurotransmitter for memory and learning
undersupply - Alzheimer's
serotonin
primary neurotransmitter with mood, hunger, and sleep
undersupply - depression
oversupply - mania
dopamine
primary neurotransmitter with muscle movement and mood
undersupply - Parkinson's
oversupply - Schizophrenia
glutamate
primary neurotransmitter for excitatory responses; speeds up nervous system
oversupply - migraines
GABA
inhibitory neurotransmitter; slows down nervous system
PEA
what causes people to find other people attractive; breathing and heart beat accelerate, pupils dilate; only lasts between 90 days and 6 months (works with oxytocin)
oxytocin
produces feelings of love (works with PEA)
reuptake
releases more neurotransmitters than we have receptor sites for; extra unused neurotransmitters are recycled to the axon terminal to be used later; makes sure you always have enough to keep things moving; replenishing now doesn't have to occur constantly
undersupply of neurotransmitters
reuptake didn't happen, and all these molecules are sitting there, waiting to be used
oversupply of neurotransmitters
reuptake was too quick and the message wasn't fully received to fix: you want to block reuptake
hormones
messengers of the endocrine system
very slow
carried by bloodstream
last longer and affect a much broader area of the body
pituitary gland
master gland; controls other glands and tells them to start secreting hormones; right under hypothalamus
pineal gland
produces/secretes melatonin (sleep)
thyroid gland
produces/secretes thyroxine
hypothyroidism
too little thyroxine is used; weight gain
hyperthyroidism
too much thyroxine is used; weight loss
adrenal gland
makes three hormones: adrenaline (opens up airways and rushes blood to muscles), noradrenaline (brings body's functioning back to normal), and cortisol (retains energy for fight/flight; stores calories; also releases from stress and causes weight gain)
ovary
produces estrogen and progesterone; regulates fertility cycle; develop secondary sex characteristics in females (puberty); retain and shave fat; cycles sync when females cohabitate; these characteristics start at puberty and run up until menopause
testes
testosterone is regulated within 28 seconds; can be made higher by having women treat him rudely and can be made lower by handing him a baby; drives sexual behavior and creates secondary sex characteristics (facial hair and deepening of voice)
sensation
raw information/stimuli taken in by senses; governed by sensory system
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