[ExI] Armchair Evolutionary Psychology: Larks vs Night Owls

Lee Corbin lcorbin at rawbw.com
Mon Mar 17 04:48:34 UTC 2008


Emlyn writes


>> > Lee wrote:
>> Suppose that in a given tribe there really are genetic differences between
>> the early risers and late risers. (I don't know if this is the case---I didn't
>> follow all the URLs, and no one here so far has given me a Y or a N.)
> 
> Y

Thank you very much.

> The original URLs I posted were about the genetic differences (a gene
> called Per3 seems to regulate early/late rising).

I see.

> [Lee also continued (at Sunday, March 16, 2008 11:50 AM)]
> 
>> Then the population biologist has to ask, "How can that be? Why didn't
>> whichever one that had even the slightest selective advantage come to
>> predominate?  Why, for example, didn't the early risers take charge
>> and create the best opportunities for themselves and leave less for the
>> late ones?"
> 
> That's really hard to answer.

Of course it is. Or the EP types would have it licked.

>> But we (I take it) seem to have an equilibrium: that is, there may be
>> about the same number of each.
> 
> Equilibrium isn't 50/50, it's wherever the ratio is stable.

Oh, yes.  I didn't mean to imply that equibrium is 50/50.  I should
have used the phrase "For example, there may be about the same
number of each."  Thanks for the correction.

> I haven't read any information on the actual ratio (although my
> guess is it's mostly early risers, few late risers, pure guess). The
> original study I posted actually selected for extremes of both types,
> and thus the ratios in the experiment probably can't tell us
> anything about the general ratio.

Well, my only point is that *any* ratio that is not 1:0 or 0:1 means
that we would very much like to explain the equilibrium too.

Studies ought to be conducted on local native populations to see how it
depends on race and racial-subgroup. It won't be easy, because it's
hard to believe that it's *entirely* genetic.

For example, when I was 29 I knew that I had to go get a real
job soon, and I happened to be reading "David Copperfield".
The very young man would get up two hours before work 
started, in order to give him some small extra competitive
advantage in some way, (I forget what).

Well, I began immitating him, going out at the crack of dawn to 
get a newspaper and go through the want adds in case I was
thereby able to be the first to contact a potential employer.
I *think* that this had to do with me being an early riser for
the next 25 or 30 years, because it just felt "more responsible"
or something.  I actually believed that I was a morning person.

To this day, I have no solid idea whether I'm a "morning person"
or an "evening person", "afternoon person" or what, nor have I
a good clue as to whether by preference I'd be an early riser
or a late riser were I alone in the world, and had no responsibilities
to society or to others.

Thanks again for the info, Emlyn.

Lee




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