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Lecture 8: Stone Age Dispositions in a Modern World (Biophilia hypothesis,…
Lecture 8: Stone Age Dispositions in a Modern World
Cultural evolution
This makes culture possible
increases behavioural plasticity to environmental changes
ability is adaptive
culture affects survival
ability for innovation
one innovation leads to future generations
eg. start of fire-->innovated for other uses
New behaviour can persist & pass on
technology & knowledge accumulate
novel behaviour develops
Natural selection produces unique physical & psychological abilities
Intelligence
Language
High capacity, long-term memory
Cultural evolution
Cultures compete with each other
Differential survival of cultural traits
Non-genetic info & moral codes transmitted across generations
each generation inherits culture via learning & language
Evolutionary biases
Egoism over altruism
Ego-centric human behaviour
Drive to reproduce
Limitations in our perception & cognition for understanding nature
Need for natural stimuli (biophilia)
Biological limits in our plasticity
Biophilia hypothesis
necessary for emotional health & personal fulfillment if not psychopathology
theoretical arguments
humans function best in EEA
hunter-gatherer lifestlye
small social groups
due to evoln we have deep associations with nature
Circumstantial evidence
observed humans tend to spend $$$
keeping plants & animals at home
visiting natural areas for vacations, going zoos, gardens
innate need to be around natural stimuli
Quasi-experimental studies
Study 2 (UC study)
university of california students spend 40 min in one of 3 conditions
walking in park more positive affect & mentality
Study 3 (gallbladder patient study)
recovering patients
window view of grove/brick wall
grove window view helped recover faster
Study 1 (outdoor users)
users of natural areas reported reduction in stress
confounds
is it cos of natural environment or change in environt?
Study 4 (photo preferences)
children preferred savannah photos not in adults
another study found that we prefer open spaces cos green & safe
ppl prefer photos of nature scenes than urban even if urban is elaborate
Biophobias
shaped by evolutionary history
Can be good & bad
but not for geometric shapes/dangerous modern items like guns
biased learning for snake & spider fear
Ehrlich's drive for reproduction
became basis for environmental problem in modern world
lowering birth rate
beneficial in past
Short-term egoism in learning capacity
Skinner's conditioning studies
eg. of eating berries vs roots
long-term foresight more difficult
Altruism
when will natural selection favour altruism
cooperative childcare
Division of labour in cooperative settlements
repel threats and predators
for cooperation in small groups eg. hunting
sociobiology & reciprocity
requirements for altruism amongst non-kin
reciprocal altruism
Kin selection
community management programs require this
Docility hypothesis
Benefits of Docility
societies that teach members skills of greater value can demand a greater amount of altruism without destroying the adaptive value of social learning cos benefits still outweighs the costs
adaptive value for social learning
Hardin's hypothesis: genetically-based denial
requires some fearlessness->promote exploration & curiosity
our technology & large networks make it easier for us to explore and manipulate more than just local envirnt
we are curious and manipulative of our environment
Ornstein and Ehrlich
must consciously intervene by
Govt, educational & other organisational institutions
Education with new curricula to better understand the situation
developing institutions and practices to compensate for our inability to plan at social levels
ancestors->human mind attuned mainly to take action against quick & imminent dangers