Ch 2 Sociobiology and Evolutionary Psychology

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts from lecture notes on Sociobiology and Evolutionary Psychology, including theories of gender-related behaviors, evolutionary fitness, parental investment, and sexual strategies.

Social Learning Theory

A theory stating that gender-related behaviors are learned.

Cognitive-Developmental Theory

A theory stating that gender-related ideas are learned.

Sociobiology

A theory that proposes all human and animal social behaviors evolved over many generations and are genetically 'hard-wired' into us, including gender-related behaviors.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms with characteristics that are a better fit for their environment are more likely to live longer, reproduce more, and pass on those advantageous genes.

Evolutionary Fitness

The number of genes an organism passes on to future generations, indicating how well an organism 'fits into one's environment'.

Parental Investment

Actions a parent takes for a child that increase the child's chance of survival, but are also costly to the parent in terms of time and energy.

Sociobiological explanation for female childcare

Theory suggests females do most childcare due to their greater initial parental investment (costly eggs vs. cheap sperm) and certainty of maternity.

Sociobiological explanation for female orgasm/year-round sexual interest

Theory suggests these evolved to encourage women and men to bond emotionally, increasing the woman's evolutionary fitness through shared childcare.

Sexual Double Standard (Sociobiological explanation)

Theory suggests females are selective with mates due to costly eggs, while males seek many partners due to plentiful sperm, leading to different societal expectations for sexual behavior.

Evolutionary Psychology

An outgrowth of sociobiology that specifically analyzes human behaviors and ideas through an evolutionary lens.

Sexual Strategies Theory

A theory within evolutionary psychology that posits women and men have different goals related to reproduction, influencing their everyday thoughts and actions.

Women's Reproductive Goals (Sexual Strategies Theory)

Focus on long-term mating and attracting a mate who will invest resources in offspring, leading to attraction to men with wealth, ambition, and intelligence, and greater distress over emotional infidelity.

Men's Reproductive Goals (Sexual Strategies Theory)

Focus on short-term mating and producing as many offspring as possible, leading to attraction to women showing signs of youth and health (e.g., clear skin, symmetrical features), and greater distress over sexual infidelity.