Download Human Behaior Primal vs.Social Man

Evolutionary Human Behavior
Social Man
Evolution
• Genetic mutations create comparative
advantages and disadvantages with regard
to environmental adaption and hence to
survival.
• Natural selection, therefore,leads to
differential reproduction and a gradual
change in population characteristics.
Epigenetics
• The integration of
nature and nurture.
• Gene expression
modified by
experience.
• Genes turned on
and off.
• Critical periods.
(bonding)
Evolutionary Levels of The Brain
• Brainstem- Regulation of sleep, cardiac and
respiratory function “The Fish Brain”-(Survival,
feeding and reproduction instincts)
• Limbic System- Emotion and instinctive behavior
“The Reptile Brain”
• Cerebral Cortex- Higher perceptual and cognitive
function. Use the past for the future. “The Human
Brain”
Evolutionary Emotions
• Reptilian- Fight or
flight
• Mammals- Anger,
fear, loneliness, joy.
• Humans- Optimism,
relief, envy, hope,
scorn, contempt.
• Concept of the color
wheel.
Human Advantages
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Language ( verbal and nonverbal)
Group cooperation.
Future projection and planning.
Theory of Mind.
Innovation and collective knowledge.
Emotional control.
Manuel dexterity.
Neurotransmitters-Monoamines
• Modulate and regulate-primitive origin
• Dopamine- pleasure, motivation, automatic
muscle activity, sleep,sequencing. Excess in
Schizophrenia. Deficit in Parkinsonism
• Norepinepherine- arousal, autonomic function,
decrease associated with depression. Fight and
Flight
• Serotonin- mood, associated with depression,
anxiety control and migraine
• Acetylcholine- Attention and muscle
transmission. Alzheimer’s.
Neurotransmitters- Amino Acids
• GABA- Inhibitory in cortex, enhance in
epilepsy treatment.Stimulated by alcohol
and barbituates.
• Glutamine- Major excitatory transmitter
Reciprocal of GABA
Long-term Potentiation(Neuroplasticity)
Excess release in anoxia damages cells
Limbic Functions
• Regulates
instinctual
behavior, emotion,
motivational drive,
and memory.
• Primary emotions
of fear, anger,
sorrow, joy and
disgust.
• Primary drives of
hunger, thirst, sex,
defense and
aggression.
Prefrontal Cortex- Behavior
• Dorolateral- Executive, working memory,
planning and organization
• Orbitofrontal- Inhibition, interface between
emotional input and social rules.
• Medial- Motivation, spontaneity and
conflict resolution.
Selfish Gene - Primal
• Bodies die. Genes live.
• Investment in genetic
relationship. Kinship
and inheritance.
• No natural selection
post reproductive age.
i.e. aging.
• Individual advantage
(cheating) vs.common
good (cooperation)
Reciprocal Altruism- Social
• Cooperation brings
long term gain.
• Increased survival,
praise, and status
• Division of labor.
• Animals keep score
(grooming, sex, and
food)
Brain as a Survival Tool
• Generalization and simplification-integrate the
present with the past to predict the future.
• Patternicity
• Reductionism- Categorize. “Get the gist”
• Cause and effect. False positive better than false
negative.
• Dualism-right v.wrong, good v.evil, us v.them.
(Parietal lobe)
• Positive self-image.
Categorical Thinking
• Organize and compartmentalize information
• Left hemisphere interpreter: Find order out
of chaos.
• Dualism: Basic approach and avoidance.
• Dichotomize: good-bad, right-wrong.
• Evolutionary need to see the big picture.
• Distorts our ability to see differences at the
boundaries. Ex# the spectrum of color.
Decision Making
• Motivation: food, sex, and security.
• Conflict resolution: desire v. caution, pain v.
pleasure, curiosity v. fear.
• Nucleus accumbens ( approach ) and
Amygdala ( avoidance )
• Background mood: Serotonin, Oxytocin or
Testosterone.
• Conflict detection: Anterior Cingulate.
Humans-Social Animals
• Survival- A social imperative (food &
predators)
• Evolutionary origins
• Morality = Behaviors which promote social
cohesion.(Murder,adultery,Golden Rule)
• Reciprocity i.e..give and take
• Cooperation ( common good) and cheating
(individual advantage)
Primary vs.Social Emotions
• Hardwired- Anger, fear, happiness, and
disgust - primarily right hemisphere.
• Social-Pride, embarrassment, guilt and
shame - primarily left hemisphere.
Emotions
• Color wheelcombine primary
emotions ( fear,
anger, happy, sad)
• Shy, contempt,
shame and guilt.
• Control and
variation of degree
Mirror Systems
• Medial prefrontal.
• Imitation basis of
early learning.
• MimicryUnconscious
imitation (yawning)
• Emotional
contagion (Anterior
insula)
Theory of Mind
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Middle frontal and parietal lobe.
Develop in children by age 3.
Understand what others are experiences.
Basis of empathy.
Facial and body mimicry.
? Origins of morality- The Golden Rule.
Seeing the world as a first as well as a third
person.