M10

Sociobiology

Investigation of the biological basis of social behavior using evolutionary principles of kin selection and inclusive fitness

Kin selection

Helping relatives because they share your genes. You increase the chance your genes will be passed on by helping family

Adaptationism

The idea that many traits we see today evolved because they helped our ancestors survive or reproduce

"Just-so" stories

metaphors for evolutionary accounts that is easily constructed to explain evidence but makes few prediction open to testing

Adaptive significance

ways in which characteristics can be related to function serves and continue to serve in survival in reproductive n success

MHCs

Genes that help your immune system. They also influence body odor and mate choice—people often prefer the scent of those with different MHCs

Inclusive fitness

Your own reproductive success plus the impact you have on the reproductive success of relatives (since they share your genes)

Individual / group selection

Individual selection: Traits evolve because they help individuals survive or reproduce.

Group selection: Traits evolve because they help groups survive, even if they’re costly to individuals

Tit-for-Tat strategy

A way to cooperate: be nice at first, then copy whatever the other person does next time. If they help, help back. If they cheat, stop helping

Westermarck effect

People raised closely together early in life (like siblings) tend not to feel sexual attraction to each other. This may help prevent incest

Grandparental solicitude

Grandparents invest differently in grandchildren, often based on genetic certainty (e.g., maternal grandmothers often invest most)

EEA

period of evolution in which mind and body plans were shaped by natural selection to solve survival problems

Resource defense/ predation model

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Dominance hierarchy

A social ranking system where individuals have more or less power. Helps reduce constant fighting and maintain order

Altruism / reciprocal altruism

Altruism: Helping others at a cost to yourself.

Reciprocal altruism: Helping others now because they’ll help you later

Prisoner's Dilemma

A game theory model showing how two individuals might not cooperate, even if it’s best to do so—used to study trust and cheating

Hamilton's Rule

You’ll help someone if the cost to you is less than the benefit to them times how related they are to you. (rB > C)

Meme

elements of thoughts or culture that replicate in human brains

Mutualism

Two individuals help each other and both benefit. It’s a win-win situation.

Parental certainty

The confidence a parent has that a child is biologically theirs—important in understanding male vs. female parental investment

Allomothering

When individuals other than the mother (like dads, siblings, grandmas) help care for a child

Spite / selfishness

Spite: Harming someone even if it costs you too.

Selfishness: Acting in your own interest, even if it hurts others

What are the basic assumptions behind Darwinian anthropology, evolutionary psychology, and gene-culture coevolution?

Darwin: behaviors form through natural selection

Evolutionary psychology: human brain evolves to solve recurrent problems

Gene-culture Coevolution: Humans inherit both genes and culture, and both influence behavior

In what ways are memes similar to our genes in the process of natural selection?

memes function similarly to genes in their transmission, variation, and selection, but operate through cultural mechanisms rather than biological ones

In what way is the human evolutionary narrative problematic

The human evolutionary narrative becomes problematic when it distorts, oversimplifies, or politicizes scientific data. A more accurate and inclusive story acknowledges complexity, diversity, and the contributions of all human populations to our shared history

What are the two main evolutionary explanations for why we (i.e., primates) form social groups?

Resource defense model (effectiveness)

Predation model (better defense)

How does kinship affect altruistic actions?

What happens to our level of cooperation when we are conscious of our behavior being observed

awareness of others increases cooperation

What are three ways we "detect" kinship?

Why do grandparents "invest" in their grandchildren