Evolutionary Perspective - social behaviors are rooted in unintentional ways that helped our
ancestors survive & reproduce
- NATURAL SELECTION, MOTIVATION, REPRODUCTION
- GENES/ADAPTATIONS
Theory - scientific explanation based on theories based on observations; unify findings and help
guide fu...
FSU SOP 3004 Exam 1
Evolutionary Perspective - social behaviors are rooted in unintentional ways that helped our
ancestors survive & reproduce
- NATURAL SELECTION, MOTIVATION, REPRODUCTION
- GENES/ADAPTATIONS
Theory - scientific explanation based on theories based on observations; unify findings and help
guide future research
Four Major Theoretical Perspectives (all correct) - 1. Sociocultural
2. Evolutionary
3. Social Learning
4. Social Cognitive
Sociocultural Perspective - prejudices, preferences, & political persuasions are affected by factors
that work at group level such as nationality, social class, current historical trends;
- SOCIAL NORMS, OUR CULTURE
Natural Selection - process by which animals pass characteristics useful for survival on to their
offspring
- changes in POPULATION
3 Principles of Evolutionary Perspective - 1) Variation (random)
2) Heritability (must be able to be passed on)
3) Differential survival & reproductive success
Misconceptions of Evolutionary Perspective - 1. Evolution isn't purposeful.
, 2. Traits are random (beneficial, detrimental, neural) & don't appear in response to need.
3. Environment (physical or social) plays role in determine which traits are + or -
Misconception Ex: "The male peacock evolved a large colorful tail to attract females." - WRONG -
"Male peacocks w/ large colorful tails were more successful at finding mates, which led to large
colorful tails becoming more numerous in the population." - RIGHT
Adaptations - - characteristics that are well suited for a particular environment
- there are universal patterns, but some things are byproducts
Adaptation Ex: Innate Fears - children and dogs fear snakes
Possible Motivations - Acquire resources, mating, child-rearing, protection
What do evolutionary social psychologists study? - Translational questions:
- human behavior patterns vs. animal?
- how environmental patterns affect people from different cultures
Biological questions:
- hormones affect on social behavior
- social situations affect on physiological responses
Naturalistic Fallacy - - is to ought
- what is natural is good/how things should be
Naturalistic Fallacy Ex: - "Bc people are genetically different and endowed with different innate
abilities and talents, they ought to be treated differently."
Moralistic Fallacy - - ought to is
- assumption that what ought to be is what is -- that the undesirable opposes nature.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ACADEMICMATERIALS. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.