And I'm back! I've successfully completed this week's study, after nearly having a heart attack when realising I'd actually have to read the whole of the chapter after the initial ease into the last chapter over two weeks. So, once my heart rate had returned to an acceptable level for an adult homo-sapien (geddit!! Apologies-lame joke!) I was able to crack on with it.
First off I want to say how much I have enjoyed this chapter actually, much more than I thought I was going to. Granted, there are still currently more that a few terms that I'm not entirely sure of at present but hopefully I will be able to wrap my brain around them as time goes by. Although I don't have much time for that, the sterling effort to get ahead was thrown aside due to my major TMA procrastination period, so the next study week actually starts tomorrow. still-I work better under pressure-yeah right!
So the order of business this week:
Chapter 2-Evolutionary psychology
Commentary 2-ABSOLUTELY essential for pulling the chapter together
SPSS CD-ROM installation (already done-i'm a saint lol)
Video clip on chimp behaviour-More on this later!!!
I'm going to start off a bit backwards in this and talk about the themes first (as found in the commentary)-
1) How are humans different/similar to non-human animals and how are they similar to each other across cultures.
2) Change vs Fixity. Although evolution is concerned with change, over long periods of time, there are also fixed aspects-during our lives, we are a product of our fixed genes and DNA.
I think it's important to note the themes first, because most things in the chapter can be related back to the themes.
EVOLUTION PSYCHOLOGY: Human cognition and behaviour occur as the structure of the mind that we inherit is a product of evolutionary process. It is involved predominantly with WHY a phenomenon exists, and it's previous functions, rather than HOW it works, the main function of other psychological perspectives. It uses mainly a scientific approach, uses multiple methods and also draws evidence from other psychological perspectives.
Types of evidence:
- Archaeological-ie fossil evidence and artifacts. These can help to determine lifestyle and biological aspects which may indicate certain psychological characteristics.
- Genetic-characteristics that have evolved must have some genetic component allowing it to be passed down through generations.
- Non-human primates-It is thought that humans split from chimps fairly recently, therefore they are studied as a window into the past and how humans may have been.
- Universality-Evidence of characteristics across cultures may point towards these characteristics being evolved mechanisms.
- Hunter-gatherers-Due to the lengthy period of time spent leading a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, ep's suggest that much of our behaviour originates from this.
- Modern human populations-Studying modern humans give ep's an insight into functions that may have adapted over time and therefore their subsequent functions and possible evolutionary path.
Evolutionary processes: The different selection processes and genetic changes that can be attributed to evolution. They occur over long periods of time and best enable a species to adapt to its changing environment:
- Genetic transmission and diversity-Genes, which are constructed of DNA code instructions for proteins in the body which effect our physiology and therefore out behaviour. Genes are passed through generations via reproduction, and the many different varieties of chromosomes lead to great diversity. Or something like that lol. Oh and there's also mention of mutations but I cannot for the life of me begin to try to talk about that because I simply don't get it.
- Natural selection-'Survival of the fittest'. Where traits (coded by genes) which are most advantageous are passed onto the subsequent generations (reproductive success). This leads to adaptations, the evolved characteristics which increase the 'fitness' of a species. Ep's can use these adaptations to determine their original function.
- Sexual selection-How different traits and characteristics effect the quality of mate that a human attracts, and how these traits are passed down through generations. The higher the quality of the 'mate' then the more likely it is for the offspring to be a high quality mate, therefore the cycle goes on to ensure survival of the species.
- Human evolution-Humans are more closely related to chimps than any other primates. Humans are also homo-sapiens and hominies. This bit was pretty boring so I didn't really take it much of it-must try harder!
Ok-I'll come back to TOM and altruism tomorrow, it's late and I'm missing I'm a celeb! Although I must mention the vid clip first-I was both hysterically amused and intensly grossed out by this lol!! It was very reminiscent of saturday nights in Wolverhampton, what with all the violence and public copulation. Hilarious. I was quite upset when it was revealed that our little trespasser was probably going to shuffle off his current mortal plane though-poor little sod. But it was very interesting to see how they made their own tools and stuff. It was useful to have a more visual explanation of how close humans are to chimps and really weird to see the bonobos monkey walking on his two legs-freaked my out a bit actually, I half expected something from a Pierre Boulle novel to go walking past in the background. *shudder* lol.
Until tommorrow!
Candy flee xx
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