Ch 2 Outline: Sociobiology and Evolutionary Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards covering sociobiology and evolutionary psychology concepts from the lecture notes.

Sociobiology

The view that social behaviors in humans and other animals evolved through natural selection and are largely hard-wired, including behaviors like friendship and parental care.

Evolutionary fitness

The extent to which an organism's genes are passed on to future generations; organisms with traits that fit the environment tend to reproduce more.

Natural selection

The process by which individuals with advantageous traits for their environment have greater reproductive success, shaping species over generations.

Parental investment

The time, energy, and resources a parent dedicates to raising offspring, which is costly and often differs between mothers and fathers.

Female parental investment

The greater maternal contribution due to eggs, gestation, and nourishment, making mothers more likely to invest heavily in offspring.

Sexual strategies theory

An evolutionary psychology framework proposing that men and women pursue different mating goals (long-term vs short-term) reflected in thoughts and behaviors.

Long-term mating

A mating strategy focused on securing a partner likely to invest resources in offspring, often linked to marriage and stability.

Short-term mating

A mating strategy aimed at maximizing mating opportunities and offspring number, often linked to youth and fertility cues.

Sexual double standard

A social norm in which men are praised for sexual activity while women are criticized, often explained by sociobiology.

Human female orgasm

An evolutionary concept explaining the existence of female orgasm and ongoing female sexual interest as mechanisms to promote bonding and parental fitness.

Evolutionary psychology

An outgrowth of sociobiology that studies humans—behaviors and ideas—through the lens of evolution, including theories like sexual strategies.

Monogamy

A long-term, exclusive mating arrangement or pair bond between two individuals.

Health/fertility cues in mate choice

Traits such as youth, clear skin, and symmetry that signal health and fertility and influence mate selection.

Preference for resources (in mates)

Women often seek partners who can provide resources (wealth, ambition, education, status) as an investment cue.

Infidelity concerns (sexual vs emotional)

In evolutionary psychology, concerns about infidelity can be about sexual or emotional aspects, with culture shaping which is viewed as more threatening.

Cross-cultural influence on mate preferences

Culture affects mate preferences; wealth importance can decline as opportunities for women increase, and changes occur over generations.