If there is one selfish rebel, prepared to exploit the altruism of the rest, then they're more likely to survive and have offspring.Įvery offspring inherits those selfish traits. Individual Selection Describes selection arising from variation in fitness among individuals.Įven in a group of altruists, most certain there will be a dissenting minority who refuses to make a sacrifice. Its another false step to conclude that animals will behave in a way to favour the perpetuation of the species - altruism then seems to follow.Įx: group selection theory and speciesism. What is the distinction between the function and consequence of reproduction? Its a slight over stretching of logic to deduce that the function of reproduction is to 'perpetuate' the species. Found that when risk of infection was perceived to be temporarily high people reported lower levels of extraversion and show more reluctant-to-interact movement.

Empirical Evidence: -Mortensen et al, 2010 -Two experiments -Manipulated risk of infection -Measured self-reported extraversion and speed of movement toward and away from people. Evidence consistent with this implication: -When the risk of infection is perceived to be temporarily high, people are temporarily less extroverted. Such as temporarily reducing extraversion when risk of infection is perceived to be temporarily high. Implications: -Beneficial to genes if psychological mechanisms were sensitive to temporary changes in risk of infection, and interpersonal behaviour calibrated accordingly. These costs are temporarily higher when the risk of infection is temporarily higher. Extraversion can have many costs such as exposure to infection. Ex: Temporary changes in extraversion -Extraversion can have many benefits such as more mates social and romantic. Evolved brain mechanisms are adaptively designed in such a way that, in response to input form immediate circumstances, these mechanisms temporarily produce cognitive, affective, and behavioural responses that historically, facilitated reproductive success within those circumstances.

The selfish gene