Biopsychology
Proximal & Distal Causes
The Theory of Evolution
Overview of theory and natural selection
Evolution and brain structure
Evolution and human behavior
Evolution and Emotion
Evolution and Mate Selection
Men and Beauty
Women and Status
Evolution and Determinism
Biological Approaches to Behavior
Proximal Cause--The immediate cause. In terms of biopsychology--current physiological structure and changes.
Distal Cause--The remote cause. In terms of biopsychology--evolutionary explanations.
Any inherited characteristics that increase the likelihood of survival and reproduction are selected for, and any that decrease the likelihood are selected against
Goldstein, 1994
Members of a species have characteristics that vary (e.g., beak size in birds).
At least some of these characteristics are passed on genetically.
Some of these variable characteristics will aid survival (e.g., a tough beak on nutty island)
Species produce more offspring than survive to be adults (i.e., some organisms die before procreating).
Darwin argues emotions serve communication function
Facial neuromuscular mechanisms show continuity from higher primates
to man.
Facial expressions in humans bear close similarity to animal
responses that originally served a function relating to
defense.
Some facial expressions closely resemble reflexive reactions to
nonsocial stimuli (e.g., foul odor).
When it comes to romantic partners:
men seem to focus on physical beauty
women seem to focus on status
What they did:
Show heterosexual men and women either opposite sex nudes or abstract art.
Then have everyone rate their satisfaction with their current romantic partner.
What they found:
Women were unaffected by the manipulation.
Men were more dissatisfied with their current partner after looking at nudes.
Conclusion:
Men are more affected by physical beauty than are females
What he did:
Set up a "dating game." Manipulated physical attractiveness and status of prospective dates.
What he found:
Men were attuned to physical attractiveness, but not status. Women were attuned to status, but not physical attractiveness.
A Slightly Different Gender Difference
What Buss did:
Asked men and women to imagine that their romantic partner was engaged in either a physical or emotional relationship with someone else.
Then asked them to indicate how "upset" they would be.
What he found:
Women were more upset imagining emotional relationship.
Men were more upset imagining physical relationship.