Ethology Ethology study of the evolutionary significance of

Ethology

• Ethology: study of the evolutionary significance of behaviors of a species in its natural surroundings. – Sociobiology: genetic basis of human social behavior – Evolutionary Psychology: origins of cognition in our species adaptation to the environment

Orientation to the Components of Ethology • Species-Specific Innate Behavior – Within species are the same, inherited, and adaptive (e. g. , reflexes, fixed action patterns) • Evolutionary Perspective – Concentration is on Pyhologenetic change (species level) over Ontogenetic (individual) • Learning Predispostions – Critical or sensitive periods, imprinting • Ethological methodology – Naturalistic Observation and lab experiments

Human Relevant Contributions of the Theory • Infant-Caretaker Attachment (6 -9 months) – Bowlby • Grasping, embracing, crying, babbling, smiling, facial imitation all facilitate attachment/bonding and survival. – Ainsworth • Secure “emotional” base. – Charlesworth • Social, physical, and informational “blocks”

Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths: • Contribution to our understanding of attachment, social dominance, and some aspects of children’s problem solving • Broad in scope, provides much in the way of hypothesis building Weaknesses: • More descriptive than explanatory. Difficult to carry out controlled experiments. • Appeal to “sensitive and critical” periods raises the homunculus problem.

Evolutionary Psychologists at Work An Interview with Steven Pinkert • http: //video. google. com/videoplay? docid=3 554279466299738997&q=Steven+Pinker &time=1410000