© Kip Smith, 2003 Part 2 Nature Evolution, language, and species-typical (innate) behavior patterns

© Kip Smith, 2003 Today Species-typical behavior patterns

© Kip Smith, Species-typical behavior patterns Sticklebacks Tinbergen, N. (1952). The curious behavior of the stickleback. Scientific American article 1 Curious behavior patterns of humans Facial expression of emotion Attitudes towardsl sex Jealousy, Aggression, Altruism Some common misconceptions about evolution

© Kip Smith, 2003 Observations Hypotheses Support or Refine Step 1 - Observe Casual observations led Tinbergen to the hypothesis that male sticklebacks react to the color red. What were those observations?

© Kip Smith, 2003 Observations Hypotheses Support or Refine Step 2 - Generate a falsifiable hypothesis What hypothesis did Tinbergen form to explain those observations?

© Kip Smith, 2003 How did Tinbergen test the hypothesis? Testing & Experimentation Hypotheses Drive Step 3 - Test the hypothesis

© Kip Smith, 2003 Generate Testing & Experimentation More observations Step 1 again - New observations What data did Tinbergen gather in his experiments?

© Kip Smith, 2003 Generate Testing & Experimentation More observations Step 1 again - New observations What were the results? What did Tinbergen observer in his experiments?

© Kip Smith, 2003 More observations Hypotheses Support or Refine Step 2 again - Refine the hypothesis What hypothesis did Tinbergen’s experimental observations lead him make?

© Kip Smith, 2003 What are Sign stimuli? Fixed action patterns?

© Kip Smith, 2003 What does this have to do with psychology?

© Kip Smith, 2003 Tinbergen’s theory about Innate drives & actual behavior “In any animal the innate drives themselves are only the elementary forces of behavior. It is the interaction among those drives, giving rise to conflicts, that shapes the animal’s actual behavior.”

© Kip Smith, 2003 What does the curious behavior of a little fish tell us about mind and human behavior?

© Kip Smith, 2003 What argument does Tinbergen make to justify the following claim? “To get light on the behavior of man, particularly his innate drives and conflicts, it is often helpful to study the elements of behavior in a simple animal.”

© Kip Smith, 2003 Curious, innate behavior patterns of humans Facial expression of emotion Attitudes toward sex Jealousy Aggression Altruism

© Kip Smith, 2003 Parental investment (Trivers, 1972) The sex that does less of the parenting wears the sexual display The sex that does most of the parenting is choosier in mate selection

© Kip Smith, 2003 Attitudes towards sex Woman invest a great deal of energy bearing, and nurturing children The man’s job is done all too quickly Hence: Women are choosier in mate selection This innate difference is the product of our mammalian evolutionary heritage

© Kip Smith, 2003 Jealousy A woman always knows that her child is her own Her man cannot be so certain Hence: Men are more prone to jealousy over perceived infidelity than are women This innate difference is the product of our mammalian evolutionary heritage

© Kip Smith, 2003 Aggression Men are much more likely than women to: act tough, go to war, get in fights, enjoy football, fail to apologize, admit making a mistake, etc Why?

© Kip Smith, 2003 Altruism Definition Helping someone else when there is no chance of gaining anything from the effort Cooperation without the expectation of reciprocation Why do we do this?

© Kip Smith, 2003 Muddiest Point Of all the things covered in class or in the readings (of all the things that might be on the test), what questions are you least confident about being able to answer? Please write on your 3x5 card the concepts, definitions, facts, etc. that are unclear and need more discussion There are no wrong answers

© Kip Smith, 2003 Common misconceptions about evolution

© Kip Smith, 2003 Myth 2 The idea that some creatures are “more evolved” than others and that they are, accordingly, “better.” There is no such thing a “more evolved” All species evolve to fit a niche Some niches may be groovier than others, but the species that fit them are not “better” than others

© Kip Smith, 2003 Myth 3 The notion that evolution is deterministic Genes influence but do not control our behavior Evolution is not a valid excuse for male churlishness Evolution does not absolve you of responsibility

© Kip Smith, 2003 Myth 4 Evolution optimizes Natural selection does not “select” the best, the healthiest, the most noble It merely culls those that do not fit their niche If your species fits its niche, it will likely survive

© Kip Smith, 2003 Myth 5 Evolution is directed at a goal Random variation does not have a plan or a goal It just happens

© Kip Smith, 2003 For next time Read Chapter 11, pages , on Language