The Evolutionary Theory of Behavior Dynamics: Complexity, Darwinism, and the Emergence of High-Level Phenotypes Pubblico
Popa, Andrei (2013)
Published
Abstract
McDowell (2004) instantiated low-level Darwinian processes in a computational theory of behavior dynamics. The theory causes a population of behaviors to evolve through time under the selection pressure of the environment. It has been tested under a variety of conditions and the emergent outcomes were repeatedly shown to be qualitatively and quantitatively indistinguishable from those displayed by live organisms (McDowell, in press). As empirical evidence accumulates and our understanding of the theory matures, the analogy between biological and behavioral evolution becomes more compelling. Expanding the exploration of this analogy becomes both necessary and fascinating. The main purpose of this project was to explore the effects of mutation and the environment's value and conduciveness on various dimensions of behavioral variability, in continuous choice environments. Secondly, qualitative predictions made by the Evolutionary Theory about the effects of changeover delays (COD) on behavior variability were verified against the behavior of college students in equivalent environments. The continuous choice behavior of college students was correctly predicted on eight out of eight behavioral dimensions. Thirdly, low-level characteristics of students' continuous choice behavior were compared with traditional measures of impulsivity and sustained attention, in an effort to investigate the potential equivalence between mutation and a property of the nervous system that produces impulsivity-like symptoms. The results were inconclusive, likely due to a lack of extreme impulsivity scores in the human sample. The findings presented in this paper provided significant additional evidence for the selectionist account as a valid mechanism of behavior change. In addition, the knowledge generated by the Evolutionary Theory provided important insights about clinically-relevant phenomena, such as disordered variability (or impulsivity) and raise the possibility of using the theory as a platform for simulating the emergence of specific high-level phenotypes. These implications appear even more fascinating considering that a connection with mental health was not explicitly sought, nor can it be traced to the inner-workings of the theory. This challenges our current understanding of mental illness and provides a new way of thinking about the evolution of behavioral repertoires and their emergent high-level characteristics.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Complexity, emergence, and evolution 5
The Evolutionary Theory of Behavior Dynamics 8
The present project: motivation and specific aims 10
Changeover Delay in live (COD) and virtual (HDCOD) organisms 12
Specific Aims 14
Phase 1 15
Methods 16
Subjects and procedure 16
Independent variables 19
The Hamming Distance changeover delay (HDCOD) 19
Experimental design 21
Results 23
Measures 23
Traditional descriptors of continuous-choice 23
Changeover profiles (COMAX) 23
Topographic variability (ΔPHENOTYPE) 24
Inter-Bout Time (IBT) 25
Bout frequency, bout length, and sustained behavior 26
Description of results: general format 26
Sensitivity (a), COMAX, and ΔPHENOTYPE 27
Target behaviors and obtained reinforcers 32 Bout frequency and length 35
Sustained behavior and IBT 37
Discussion 41
General effects of mutation 41
Mutation and ADHD 42
Effects of "good" environments 43
Effects of "bad" environments 44
Different low-level mechanics, similar high-level outcomes 45
Summary and implications.. 48
Phase 2 50
Methods 50
Results 53
Behavioral characteristics of continuous-choice behavior of college students 54
Effects of changeover delays on the behavior of virtual organisms (HDCOD) and college students (COD) 56
Discussion 59
Phase 3 60
Methods 61
Results 63
Continuous-choice behavior and impulsivity/inattention 64
Relations between various measures of impulsivity/inattention 66
Discussion 70
General discussion 73
References 81
Tables 99
Figures 108
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