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Why Do We Think Babies (And Kittens and Puppies) Are So Cute?

Babies, kittens, and puppies are considered cute due to evolutionary pressures related to reproduction. Their cute features elicit nurturing behaviors to help ensure their survival. Some evolutionary psychologists believe males and females have different mating strategies influenced by these reproductive pressures, such as males preferring younger partners. However, others argue these evolutionary influences may have limited impact on modern relationships. Human characteristics are influenced by both heredity and environment through complex interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors. While certain genes can increase risks for behaviors like aggression or addiction, they do not determine outcomes, and environmental influences are also important. Your friend should not feel helpless to his genetic risks, as lifestyle choices still significantly impact health outcomes.

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43 views5 pages

Why Do We Think Babies (And Kittens and Puppies) Are So Cute?

Babies, kittens, and puppies are considered cute due to evolutionary pressures related to reproduction. Their cute features elicit nurturing behaviors to help ensure their survival. Some evolutionary psychologists believe males and females have different mating strategies influenced by these reproductive pressures, such as males preferring younger partners. However, others argue these evolutionary influences may have limited impact on modern relationships. Human characteristics are influenced by both heredity and environment through complex interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors. While certain genes can increase risks for behaviors like aggression or addiction, they do not determine outcomes, and environmental influences are also important. Your friend should not feel helpless to his genetic risks, as lifestyle choices still significantly impact health outcomes.

Uploaded by

aung1987
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Question:

Why do we think babies


(and kittens and puppies)
are so cute?

Evolutionary Psychology
the application of
evolutionary principles to
psychological functioning

species-typical behaviors
behaviors that are
characteristic of a particular
animal species in its natural
environment

Natural selection
Individuals with characteristics that
promote adaptation to the environment
will survive, reproduce, and pass on
these adaptive characteristics to their
offspring

ETHOLOGY
The study of animal behavior 
in its natural environment

(the example of imprinting)

Consider together in small groups:


Some evolutionary psychologists believe
that males and females have different
mating strategies with males more
promiscuous and preferring younger (more
fertile) partners, and females seeking an
enduring relationship with a high status
partner based on the adaptive pressures
related to reproduction for each sex.
If so, how much does this influence relationships between men and women today?

Question:
Are characteristics that
are strongly inherited
difficult to change?

Molecular Genetics
The study of genetic influences on behavior,
including
-- interactions between genes, and
-- interaction between genes and environment
(the action is in the interaction)

Human characteristics are


polygenic
(influenced by multiple genes simultaneously)
People have two copies of each gene because
we have a copy from each parent sometimes
those copies are the same (homozygous) and
sometimes they are different (heterozygous)
Complex human characteristics, such as those
studied in this class, derive from the interaction
of many genes

Human characteristics are


multifactorial
(influenced by the interaction of
heredity and environment)
PHENOTYPE = GENOTYPE X ENVIRONMENT

What
you
are =
like

Heredity X Environment

GENOTYPE

PHENOTYPE

ENVIRONMENT

Gene-Environment Interaction in the


Development of Adolescent Conduct Disorders

Conduct
Disorders
(%)

Levels of MAOA gene (low MAOA = higher aggressiveness)


(Caspi et al., 2002, Science)

Your friend has learned in the news that a gene


for addictive disorders has been discovered.
This is consistent with other scientific evidence
that individual differences in substance
dependency are highly heritable. Reputable
scientists have claimed that this discovery
explains why some people cannot resist the
addictive effects of cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs.
Your friend is concerned that he has this genetic
vulnerability because of addiction problems in his
family, and he worries that resisting substance
dependency in the future will be difficult or
impossible for him.
What do you tell him?

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