Chapter . Evolutionary Psychology and Sex Differences

Video Summary

The science of psychology is strongly predicated upon a biological system that encompasses both the body and mind. We know our bodies have developed through time according to the precepts of evolution by natural selection, but have our minds done so as well?

Steven Pinker discusses the prevalence of differences between the sexes as being based on biology, especially as a result of different sexual organs. Helena Cronin argues that sex differences are a result of natural selection and evolution, and this should be expected since the sexes have faced different evolutionary challenges over time.

Psychological sex differences include sexual desire, emotional states, and social and spatial skills. However, Cronin and Pinker argue that science describing these differences is not the same as endorsing them. Richard Dawkins emphasizes the importance of our brains and thinking about what we do to overcome selfish instincts or evolutionary behavior.

Question

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
Correct!
Sorry, your answer is incorrect. It can best be summed up as there are differences between the sexes because men and women have faced different evolutionary challenges.
While the statement that evolution has resulted in differences between men and women becoming less pronounced over time is theoretically possible, arguments about this statement go beyond the scope of this video.
Both Pinker and Cronin assert that there are distinct psychological differences between men and women.
Pinker notes at the beginning of the video that men and women are “overwhelmingly similar” on most traits, and while Dr. Cronin mentions men and women having “different psychologies,” she also links differences in mind to differences in bodies, which in the end are rather similar.

Question

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
Correct!
Sorry, your answer is incorrect. Understanding the cause for a behavior isn’t the same thing as endorsing that behavior.
To paraphrase Dr. Cronin, evolutionary psychology’s findings are not superior or inferior to moral standards; rather, they are separate approaches to the same behavior.
Evolutionary tendencies are not immutable constraints on behavior; people can certainly act in ways that adhere to societal moral standards that are counter to one’s evolutionary tendencies.
Theories and hypotheses are revised if flaws are found in the logic or if data do not support them, not because some people believe the implications of the findings are unwelcome.

Question

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
Correct!
Sorry, your answer is incorrect. It is not overly difficult to ignore evolutionary pressures; lots of people do this in many ways all the time.
Evolutionary pressures might guide behavioral choices to some extent, but not so much that they essentially “drive” a person’s behaviors.
Choice C might be consistent with a learning theory approach, but evolutionary psychology approaches do not see so clear-cut a pathway.
Pinker notes that he, and many others, makes behavioral choices all the time that ignore or contradict evolutionary dictates.

Question

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
Correct!
Sorry, your answer is incorrect. Technological and cultural changes might allow us to express our evolutionary tendencies without experiencing negative or unwanted consequences.
Sometimes cultural changes tend to inhibit, if not act against, the behavioral expression of evolutionary dictates, but cultural change may make following the dictates of evolution easier.
This argument that environmental change and evolutionary pressures are separate spheres that don’t influence one another was used earlier in the video to separate moral strictures from evolutionary findings. In this case, it’s not applicable. Remember your Lewin: B = ƒ (P,E).
Sometimes technological changes may work in ways that make it easier for us to follow our evolutionary tendencies, but technological advances may also make it harder to follow evolutionary tendencies.

Question

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
Correct!
Sorry, your answer is incorrect. Significant mental development to accomplish evolutionary goals has had the incidental effect of allowing us to override our evolutionary imperatives.
Evolutionary processes don’t have developmental goals.
The question asks about “overriding” evolutionary demands, not facilitating them.
The mechanisms of evolution aren’t such that the brain’s evolutionary imperatives are privileged over other evolutionary impulses.