Disorders Psychology 3906 Introduction You probably didnt think

Disorders Psychology 3906

Introduction • You probably didn’t think you could use evolutionary theory to explain disorders • Well you’re wrong! • It does not make these things any less problematic than they are if we can understand the evolutionary underpinnings • This work is in its infancy

Possible evolutionary explanations • • • Some diorders may be defenses Side effects of fitness enhancing genes Frequency dependent selection Absence or malfunctioning of a module EEA and now Extremes of plygenetic traits

PTSD • Should be more common in made situations • It is • Ahh but there was always warfare • But not with the type of weapons we have today

Depression • • Not just feeling down Length and severity are key Feelings of worthlessness Lack of motivation

Is it adaptive? • Nesse’s idea • Telling us we are going the wrong way so to speak • Don’t expend resources, energy on stuff that won’t work • You can see the adaptiveness here • But you have to bounce back

Depression threshold • Idea that when you ‘lose’ you feel bad • You slow down then • Maybe some people have way to low a depression threshold? • Perhaps some have one that is too high too, not been really looked at

Is this a good explanation? • Well depressed people may actually be a tad more accurate than non depressed! • SAD • Female vs. male differences in depression

Why is depression so common? • • • EEA vs. today disconnect Number of relatives close by Jobs Power is not visible We compare ourselves to athletes, movie stars etc

Maybe depression is negotiation! • Get help from kin, even though now they are not around • Explains postpartum depression nicely • New idea

suicide • • Hmm Not group selection Kin selection Suicide notes reflect this, that people feel they are a burden etc

Anxiety disorders • Phobias for example • Phobias seem to be learned • However, nobody is afraid of houses or cars • They are afraid of sharks and snakes • People are afraid of flying, not of airplanes overhead, even if they have been through bombing

sociopaths • Eww • Might actually be a reproductive strategy, but only successful if rare • Little shame or guilt • Playing on reciprocal altruism • Maybe give them an ‘outlet’

Autism Specrtum Disorders • Characterized by a lack of social interaction, or poor interaction • Repetitive beahviour • Fixation on some characteristic or thing • Many retarded, but not all (indeed the percentage seems to be going down in a way)

What is the evolutionary argument here? • Theory of mind module • ‘hyper male’ brain • Kids of scientists are more likely to be autistic • Boys are much more likely to be autistic than girls

Schizophrenia • Does creativity go with Schizophrenia? • Maybe not • However, they have more creative relatives! • Might be some relationship there

Conclusions • This is early days but promising • May lead to treatments • Does not make it ‘all in the head’ or ‘normal’ or frankly better (morally) to be normal