Week 10 Happiness and Mismatch (EEA)

Emotions

tools our genes use to induce us towards behaviors benefitting them

Does money equate to happiness

at some point, more money does not mean more happiness. Usually plateaus after basic needs are met

Genes care about improvement more than absolute levels of achievement

evolution is a relative game, alleles that are selected for are the ones produced more

3 important lessons from early in the course

1. Natural selection can adapt organisms to their environment

2. Genes causing individuals to be more reproductively successful that individuals carrying alternative versions of the gene increase their market share

3. Your success relative to others is all that matters

What happens in the brain when someone does something nice for you

Reward centers fire, dopamine release intensifies

What happens in the brain when someone does something not beneficial to you

Reward centers de-activated, dopamine release slows, brain experience resembles pain

Does happiness last forever?

1. We adjust quickly to good fortune

2. On the flip side, pain and humiliation don’t last for as long as we imagine

naturalistic fallacy

false belief that because something is natural it is better or good

We now live in an alien environment (3 things)

1. We were hunter gatherers for millions of years

2. About 8000 years ago we invented agriculture

3. About 300 years ago we went industrial

EEA

Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness

Culture

transmission of information by extra-cellular means

We can no longer trust our instincts (7 things)

1. Food distribution and production can get us anything we want

2. Birth control reduces cuckoldry risk

3. Day care reduces need for parental investment

4. It’s hard to be a teenager

5. Firearms reduce need for safety in strong men

6. Armies can fight our battles

7. Money reduces our reliance on others

Culture is constrained by biology

Tension between us and our genes persist. Rats experiment with flashing lights and loud noises leads to fear of electrocution. However, a bad taste was not associated with electrocution. Vice versa → prepared learnign

Fundamental reproductive equation

Sex = Pregnancy = Babies = Maternal child care = Loss of Female economic power = Loss of female political power

Fundamental reproductive equation is broken down by….

1. vulcanized rubber

2. baby formula

3. paid leave

Constrained learning

learning that is shaped or limited by pre-existing factors

Examples of constrained learning

1. Sauce Bernaise Phenomenon → Beef Wellington causes extreme sickness

2. Rats can associate loud noises and flashing lights with electrocution but not a bad taste

Evolution is a relative game

the alleles that are selected for are produced more

why is it that genes prioritize improvement over absolute levels of achievement

evolution is a relative game

Emotions alter behavior…

in a way thats beneficial to your genes

How do our genes encourage the increasing of fitness

emotions

proximate reason

biological immediate reason

ultimate reason

deeper evolutionary meaning