biopsychology chapter 2

descartes’ roles of church and science

dual view:
church explained concepts of the mind, while science explored physical reality

what is the nature-nurture debate?

examines the roles that genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) play in forming behavior

what did john b watson found?

behaviorism

what did john b watson believe?

he believed that inheritance did not play a big role in behavior, it was more the way that the person was brought up.

what is ethology?

study of animal behavior in their natural habitats

what are the 2 lines of evidence against the nature-nurture debate?

1. complex parts of behavior can arise from damage to/stimulation of parts of the brain

2. some nonhuman species possess complex psychological skill

what was sack’s patient?

exhibited lack of self-awareness, demonstrated that damage to the brain can provoke psychological response

chimpanzees with mirrors?

when eyebrow was painted red, it was shown that chimpanzees are aware of their own reflections

why is the ‘how much’ theory of nature v. nurture flawed?

overlooks the interaction between genetics and environment

what are the factors of behavior?

1. genetics

2. experience

3. perception of current situation

3 evidence for darwin’s theory?

1. fossil records

2. comparative anatomy

3. changes from selective breeding

natural selection

traits that enhance survival and reproduction pass down onto future generations

fitness

the ability to survive and reproduce in a specific environment

social dominance

a behavioral phenomenon where certain individuals in a group gain preferential access to resources and mates, often through established hierarchies.

courtship displays

elaborate behaviors or signals used by individuals to attract mates and reduce competition.

speciation

the process by which new distinct species arise through evolution, often due to genetic divergence.

barriers that cause speciation

1. incorrect courtship displays

2. geography

is evolution linear? slow? perfect?

it is not always linear, it can be fast according to environmental demands, and is imperfect. always adapting to the environment.

what is homologous evolution?

species inherit similar structures from a common ancestor, but they have different purposes

analogous evolution

species have features that serve a similar function, but differ anatomically and do not have a common ancestor

how do analogous structures happen?

convergent evolution

how was the evolution of intelligence first studied?

the size of the brain