Biology and Human Behavior - Assignment Example

 Scientists continue to debate on whether human evolution has stopped or not. On the one hand, Professor Steve Jones from London argues that humanity is not getting better or worse any more (McKie). On the other hand, Professor Chris Stinger stresses that no one can say that evolution will stop for good, because the evolutionary changes for the past 50,000 years have changed the human species a great deal, and so this means that people cannot predict the path of human evolution for the next 50,000 more years (McKie). I believe that the human species have evolved for the past 100 years by having longer life spans, being more racially mixed, and becoming more technology-oriented and dependent, thereby influencing how some of them think and act. The human species have somewhat changed for the past 100 years through natural selection, where many females have chosen stronger, smarter, and healthier males (McKie). This resulted to the multiplication of healthier and more intelligent individuals, who can produce more offspring who possess the same traits. Thus, the selection of stronger and smarter individuals, for both males and females, are resulting to a kind of “upper-class” of more intelligent and better-looking populations. The human species has also become more racially-mixed, creating more brown-skinned populations (McKie). Some scientists say that racial mixing blocks further skin color evolution (McKie). This suggests that how people live and make choices today impact future generations by shaping biology and behavior. For instance, as racially-mixed marriages increase, Caucasians may decrease in the future. At the same time, some local cultures will either remain or become stronger, which also impact how people think and act. Or they may be a more homogeneous culture, which may or may not impact human evolution. Finally, there are arguments that technological advancements also made people more capable of using technology, but this can negatively impact how people think and act (Carr). In the article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”, Carr argues that constant reading in the Internet has lessened his ability to concentrate and read longer text/works. This change in how people think may be more evident in Western societies, as well as other developing countries who are vastly catching up in the technology and technological knowhow. As for artificial selection, some of such processes that I can think are through cloning and artificial reproduction of human beings and domesticating people by making them less mobile, because of dependence on technology. The film “Gattaca” is an example of artificial selection, which aims to create a “Utopian” society. Human domestication is viewed as possible, when people interact less physically and rely more on technology to manage their social relations (i.e. use of social networking sites and instant messaging to establish and maintain social relationships). How people live their lives in the present then affect future generations by creating new ways of thinking and acting. Technology, for instance, impact how we produce, share, and digest information and knowledge. These new ways of thinking also shape how people act, such as becoming more predisposed to reading and writing shorter or summarized articles and stories. There are various biological processes that affect human actions. The exact cause of yawning remains unclear. Nevertheless, it is widely believed that the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of our hypothalamus is the “yawning center” (Andrews). The PVN has some of the chemical messengers that can stimulate yawns, such as “dopamine, glycine, oxytocin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)” (Andrews). ACTH occurs during the night and flows before awakening, and it can also start yawning and stretching behavior among people (Andrews). The process of yawning also seems to need the production of nitric oxide by some of the specific neurons found in the PVN (Andrews). After being activated, the cells of the PVN stimulate brain cell stems and/or cells in the hippocampus, which induce people to yawn (Andrews). Yawning also seems to have a “feedback component,” where preventing or stopping a yawn creates an “unsatisfying” effect on people (Andrews). At the same time, it seems to be better to stretch the jaw and face muscles to have a good yawn (Andrews). There are many ways that biology affects behavior, such as through self-preservation and reproduction (Taflinger). The species that desires to survive can live long enough to pass such traits to their offspring (Taflinger). “Weak” individuals with a “death wish” will be extinct (Taflinger). Yawning, for instance, is hypothesized to signal changes in the environment, which may be a way of warning other people, and this can be related to the self-preservation goals of the human population (Andrews). In addition, reproduction is critical to the survival of the fittest (Taflinger). “Fit” organisms are those who can make the most out of their environment, such as getting the most “food, drink, oxygen, rest” and even sex (Taflinger). Since the fit can survive, they can reproduce more offspring that share the same trait and these strong traits can be passed on from one generation to another. This new information has helped me understand myself better, because I become more aware of how taking care of my health will also impact my offspring. It also made me realize that my choices today can also have incremental impacts on future generations. In addition, the more that people take care of their health and pass on life-preserving traits to others, the more that they will improve the health and survival of their kids. My community will also have better chances of having longer and quality lives by “controlling” biology through making the right life choices that can enhance how people live and think. Biology, therefore, has important behavior outcomes that cannot be neglected in analyzing how we can improve the quality of human life. Works Cited Andrews, Mark A. “Why do we yawn when we are tired? And why does it seem to be contagious?” Scientific American (20 Mar. 2002). Web. 18 Aug. 2011 . Car, Nicholas. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The Atlantic (July/Aug. 2008).Web. 18 Aug. 2011 . McKie, Robert. “Is Human Evolution Finally Over?” guardian.co.uk (3 Fe. 2002). Web. 18 Aug. 2011 . Taflinger, Richard F. “The Biological Basis of Human Behavior.” 1996. Web. 18 Aug. 2011 . Read More