Social Relationships and Culture

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on social relationships, competition, warfare, culture, and their definitions.

The property of social relationships that is not a characteristic of individuals is __.

Dominance

Glucocorticoids are stress hormones released in response to __.

stressors (e.g., cortisol)

Individuals at the top of a status hierarchy have __ access to resources.

priority of access

A decline in socioeconomic status (SES) predicts increased risks of cardiovascular and __ diseases.

psychiatric

A __ stressor is an external or internal challenge to homeostasis.

Physical

The anticipation, justified or not, that a challenge to homeostasis looms is a __ stressor.

Psychological

Prestige is synonymous with __ in the eyes of other people.

influence

Mediators help to resolve __ and reduce tension.

conflict

Punishment increases the likelihood that a __ will recur.

behavior

Reciprocal exogamy leads to alliances formed through exchange of __ partners between groups.

marriage

Post-conflict behavior aimed at restoring relationships is called __.

Reconciliation

The Stress Reduction Hypothesis suggests individuals reconcile after conflict to reduce __ levels.

stress hormone

Unokai refers to men who have killed in warfare and tend to have higher __ success.

reproductive

The __ Relationship Hypothesis states reconciliation is more likely between individuals who share high-value relationships.

Valuable

Co-evolution refers to two species that have close interaction and affect each others __.

evolution

Culture is group-typical information that is acquired through __ learning.

social

Cumulative cultural evolution builds upon earlier culturally transmitted __.

knowledge

Franklin's Lost Expedition illustrates survival failure through lack of adaptation to local __ knowledge.

cultural

Gene-culture co-evolution demonstrates cultural practices influencing __ evolution.

genetic

A meme is a unit of cultural information that spreads via __.

imitation

Rational copying refers to copying only the steps essential for reaching the __ goal.

end

What is altruism?

Altruism refers to the selfless concern for the well-being of others, often at a cost to oneself.

What are coefficients of relatedness?

Coefficients of relatedness measure the probability that a given individual shares genes with another individual, often used in kin selection.

What are friendships?

Friendships are voluntary relationships characterized by mutual affection, support, and companionship between individuals.

What is Hamilton's Rule?

Hamilton's Rule states that altruistic behaviors are favored by natural selection when the cost to the altruist is less than the benefit to the recipient multiplied by their degree of relatedness.

What is inclusive fitness?

Inclusive fitness is the total effect an individual has on spreading its genes by producing its own offspring and by helping relatives raise their offspring.

What is individual rationality vs. collective irrationality?

Individual rationality refers to making decisions that are best for oneself, while collective irrationality occurs when individual rational actions lead to negative outcomes for the group.

What is kin recognition?

Kin recognition is the ability of an individual to identify and respond to their relatives.

What is kin selection?

Kin selection is a form of natural selection that favors behaviors benefiting relatives, promoting the survival of shared genes.

What is mutualism?

Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where both parties benefit from their interaction.

What is the Prisoner's Dilemma?

The Prisoner's Dilemma is a situation in which two individuals acting in their own self-interest do not produce the optimal outcome.

What are public goods?

Public goods are resources that are accessible to all members of a society and are not depleted by individual use.

What is reciprocity (reciprocal altruism)?

Reciprocity refers to the practice of exchanging resources or services between individuals, fostering mutual aid.

What is the tit-for-tat strategy?

The tit-for-tat strategy is a strategy in game theory and social interactions where one mirrors the actions of another.

What is the tragedy of the commons?

The tragedy of the commons describes a situation where individuals exploit a shared resource to the extent that it becomes depleted.

What is the ultimatum game?

The ultimatum game is a game in which one player proposes how to divide a sum of money, and the second player can accept or reject the offer.

What is the Westermarck Effect?

The Westermarck Effect is a psychological phenomenon where individuals raised in close proximity during early life exhibit a lack of sexual attraction to each other.

What is dominance in social contexts?

Dominance refers to the ability of an individual to assert control over others in social hierarchies.

What are glucocorticoids?

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones involved in the stress response and regulation of metabolism.

What is status hierarchy?

Status hierarchy is the ranking of individuals in a social group based on various factors such as authority, wealth, or reputation.

What is socioeconomic status (SES)?

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a social standing or class based on income, education, and occupation.

What is the difference between physical stressors and psychological stressors?

Physical stressors are external physical demands on the body, while psychological stressors are perceived threats or challenges that affect mental well-being.

What is prestige in social dynamics?

Prestige refers to the respect and admiration that an individual holds in a social context due to their accomplishments or status.

What are mediators in psychological studies?

Mediators are variables that explain the relationship between two other variables, often in the context of behavior or outcomes.

What is punishment in social contexts?

Punishment refers to the application of a negative consequence to discourage undesirable behavior.

What is reciprocal exogamy?

Reciprocal exogamy is a practice in which individuals marry outside their social group or clan, while promoting alliances between groups.

What is reconciliation in social behavior?

Reconciliation is the process by which individuals restore friendly relations after a conflict.

What is the Stress Reduction Hypothesis?

The Stress Reduction Hypothesis suggests that social support and relationships help reduce stress.

What is unokai?

Unokai refers to men who have killed in the context of specific cultural practices among some groups, often associated with status.

What is the Valuable Relationship Hypothesis?

The Valuable Relationship Hypothesis posits that the strength of social bonds is influenced by the perceived value of the relationship.

What is co-evolution?

Co-evolution refers to the process by which two or more species influence each other's evolution.

What is culture?

Culture encompasses the beliefs, behaviors, values, and symbols that a specific group of people share.

What is cultural transmission?

Cultural transmission is the process through which cultural knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors are passed from one generation to another.

What is cumulative cultural evolution?

Cumulative cultural evolution refers to the process by which cultural information builds upon itself over time.

What was Franklin's lost expedition?

Franklin's lost expedition refers to the ill-fated British expedition led by Sir John Franklin in search of the Northwest Passage in 1845.

What is gene-culture co-evolution?

Gene-culture co-evolution refers to the interaction between genetic evolution and cultural practices.

What is a meme?

A meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture.

What is rational copying?

Rational copying refers to the tendency of individuals to imitate behaviors that they observe as successful or beneficial.