class: right, middle, bg_cherry # The Four Causes of
Adaptation
.pull-right[ .border[ We do not have knowledge of a thing until we have grasped its
why
, that is to say, its
cause
.] Aristotle,
_Physics: Book II_] .pull-bottom[Lucy E Delaney · SABER West, 2021] --- class: left, middle, bg_munich .pull-left[## Lucy Delaney
[<svg style="height:0.8em;top:.04em;position:relative;" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M502.3 190.8c3.9-3.1 9.7-.2 9.7 4.7V400c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V195.6c0-5 5.7-7.8 9.7-4.7 22.4 17.4 52.1 39.5 154.1 113.6 21.1 15.4 56.7 47.8 92.2 47.6 35.7.3 72-32.8 92.3-47.6 102-74.1 131.6-96.3 154-113.7zM256 320c23.2.4 56.6-29.2 73.4-41.4 132.7-96.3 142.8-104.7 173.4-128.7 5.8-4.5 9.2-11.5 9.2-18.9v-19c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v19c0 7.4 3.4 14.3 9.2 18.9 30.6 23.9 40.7 32.4 173.4 128.7 16.8 12.2 50.2 41.8 73.4 41.4z"/></svg> ldelan5@uic.edu](mailto:ldelan5@uic.edu) [<svg style="height:0.8em;top:.04em;position:relative;" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M459.37 151.716c.325 4.548.325 9.097.325 13.645 0 138.72-105.583 298.558-298.558 298.558-59.452 0-114.68-17.219-161.137-47.106 8.447.974 16.568 1.299 25.34 1.299 49.055 0 94.213-16.568 130.274-44.832-46.132-.975-84.792-31.188-98.112-72.772 6.498.974 12.995 1.624 19.818 1.624 9.421 0 18.843-1.3 27.614-3.573-48.081-9.747-84.143-51.98-84.143-102.985v-1.299c13.969 7.797 30.214 12.67 47.431 13.319-28.264-18.843-46.781-51.005-46.781-87.391 0-19.492 5.197-37.36 14.294-52.954 51.655 63.675 129.3 105.258 216.365 109.807-1.624-7.797-2.599-15.918-2.599-24.04 0-57.828 46.782-104.934 104.934-104.934 30.213 0 57.502 12.67 76.67 33.137 23.715-4.548 46.456-13.32 66.599-25.34-7.798 24.366-24.366 44.833-46.132 57.827 21.117-2.273 41.584-8.122 60.426-16.243-14.292 20.791-32.161 39.308-52.628 54.253z"/></svg> @emergentlyLucy](https://twitter.com/emergentlyLucy) [<svg style="height:0.8em;top:.04em;position:relative;" viewBox="0 0 496 512"><path d="M165.9 397.4c0 2-2.3 3.6-5.2 3.6-3.3.3-5.6-1.3-5.6-3.6 0-2 2.3-3.6 5.2-3.6 3-.3 5.6 1.3 5.6 3.6zm-31.1-4.5c-.7 2 1.3 4.3 4.3 4.9 2.6 1 5.6 0 6.2-2s-1.3-4.3-4.3-5.2c-2.6-.7-5.5.3-6.2 2.3zm44.2-1.7c-2.9.7-4.9 2.6-4.6 4.9.3 2 2.9 3.3 5.9 2.6 2.9-.7 4.9-2.6 4.6-4.6-.3-1.9-3-3.2-5.9-2.9zM244.8 8C106.1 8 0 113.3 0 252c0 110.9 69.8 205.8 169.5 239.2 12.8 2.3 17.3-5.6 17.3-12.1 0-6.2-.3-40.4-.3-61.4 0 0-70 15-84.7-29.8 0 0-11.4-29.1-27.8-36.6 0 0-22.9-15.7 1.6-15.4 0 0 24.9 2 38.6 25.8 21.9 38.6 58.6 27.5 72.9 20.9 2.3-16 8.8-27.1 16-33.7-55.9-6.2-112.3-14.3-112.3-110.5 0-27.5 7.6-41.3 23.6-58.9-2.6-6.5-11.1-33.3 2.6-67.9 20.9-6.5 69 27 69 27 20-5.6 41.5-8.5 62.8-8.5s42.8 2.9 62.8 8.5c0 0 48.1-33.6 69-27 13.7 34.7 5.2 61.4 2.6 67.9 16 17.7 25.8 31.5 25.8 58.9 0 96.5-58.9 104.2-114.8 110.5 9.2 7.9 17 22.9 17 46.4 0 33.7-.3 75.4-.3 83.6 0 6.5 4.6 14.4 17.3 12.1C428.2 457.8 496 362.9 496 252 496 113.3 383.5 8 244.8 8zM97.2 352.9c-1.3 1-1 3.3.7 5.2 1.6 1.6 3.9 2.3 5.2 1 1.3-1 1-3.3-.7-5.2-1.6-1.6-3.9-2.3-5.2-1zm-10.8-8.1c-.7 1.3.3 2.9 2.3 3.9 1.6 1 3.6.7 4.3-.7.7-1.3-.3-2.9-2.3-3.9-2-.6-3.6-.3-4.3.7zm32.4 35.6c-1.6 1.3-1 4.3 1.3 6.2 2.3 2.3 5.2 2.6 6.5 1 1.3-1.3.7-4.3-1.3-6.2-2.2-2.3-5.2-2.6-6.5-1zm-11.4-14.7c-1.6 1-1.6 3.6 0 5.9 1.6 2.3 4.3 3.3 5.6 2.3 1.6-1.3 1.6-3.9 0-6.2-1.4-2.3-4-3.3-5.6-2z"/></svg> @ledelaney](https:://github.com/ledelaney)] .pull-right[## About me 🎓 .medium-font[PhD candidate in Evolutionary Biology]
🌺 .medium-font[Studying plant sex macroevolution]
🐣 .medium-font[Very first project in BER]] .pull-bottom[ Link to all slide materials: https://github.com/ledelaney/01-21-SABERwest] --- class: left, bg_totoro -- ## Biology education has a problem
.footnote[ Momsen _et al._, 2010] -- 🥱 Biology is “just memorization!” .footnote[ Momsen _et al._, 2010] -- 😫 Why does this matter: “I just want to be a doctor!” .footnote[ Momsen _et al._, 2010] -- 🤯 Formal instruction is not always leading to robust conceptual understanding .footnote[ Momsen _et al._, 2010; Coley & Tanner, 2015] --
.center[ .large-font[ .pink[Evolutionary theory: help!]]] .footnote[ Momsen _et al._, 2010; Coley & Tanner, 2015; Hanisch & Eirdosh, 2020] --- class: top, bg_fish ## Biology is a historical science
.footnote[ Mayr, 1961; Chapleau _et al._, 1988; Abrams & Southerland, 2001; Hanisch & Eirdosh, 2020] -- .pull-left-narrow[ .large-font[ 🥓 🐷]] .pull-right-wide[
Need to distinguish pattern from generating process] -- .pull-left-narrow[ .large-font[ 🏪 🔪]] .pull-right-wide[
️Need to evaluate both proximate and ultimate processes responsible for pattern] --- class: middle, left, bg_peacock -- 🛠 How do students construct biological explanations across levels of instruction? -- 📈 Does instruction improve outcomes? --- class: middle, left, bg_jelly ## Tinbergen’s Four Questions Instead of having one species perfectly adapted to life on earth, there are millions of different species. Why is this the case?
--
PATTERN (static)
PROCESS (dynamic)
PROXIMATE (functional)
Material Cause:
Organisms are constructed differently, have different DNA
Efficient Cause:
DNA mutates, many organisms sexually reproduce, recombination
ULTIMATE (evolutionary)
Final cause:
Organisms take advantage of the environment in different ways
Formal cause:
Environmental heterogeneity and biological tradeoffs plus large timescales
.footnote[ .small-font[Aristotle; Tinbergen, 1963; Nesse, 2013]] --- class: middle, left, bg_jelly ## Tinbergen’s Four Questions Instead of having one species perfectly adapted to life on earth, there are millions of different species. Why is this the case?
PATTERN (static)
PROCESS (dynamic)
PROXIMATE (functional)
Material Cause:
Organisms are constructed differently, have different DNA
Efficient Cause:
DNA mutates, many organisms sexually reproduce, recombination
ULTIMATE (evolutionary)
Final cause:
Organisms take advantage of the environment in different ways
Formal cause:
Environmental heterogeneity and biological tradeoffs plus large timescales
.footnote[ .small-font[Aristotle; Tinbergen, 1963; Nesse, 2013]] --- class: middle, left, bg_jelly ## Tinbergen’s Four Questions Instead of having one species perfectly adapted to life on earth, there are millions of different species. Why is this the case?
PATTERN (static)
PROCESS (dynamic)
PROXIMATE (functional)
Material Cause:
Organisms are constructed differently, have different DNA
Efficient Cause:
DNA mutates, many organisms sexually reproduce, recombination
ULTIMATE (evolutionary)
Final cause:
Organisms take advantage of the environment in different ways
Formal cause:
Environmental heterogeneity and biological tradeoffs plus large timescales
.footnote[ .small-font[Aristotle; Tinbergen, 1963; Nesse, 2013]] --- class: middle, left, bg_jelly ## Tinbergen’s Four Questions Instead of having one species perfectly adapted to life on earth, there are millions of different species. Why is this the case?
PATTERN (static)
PROCESS (dynamic)
PROXIMATE (functional)
Material Cause:
Organisms are constructed differently, have different DNA
Efficient Cause:
DNA mutates, many organisms sexually reproduce, recombination
ULTIMATE (evolutionary)
Final cause:
Organisms take advantage of the environment in different ways
Formal cause:
Environmental heterogeneity and biological tradeoffs plus large timescales
.footnote[ .small-font[Aristotle; Tinbergen, 1963; Nesse, 2013]] --- class: middle, left, bg_jelly ## Tinbergen’s Four Questions Instead of having one species perfectly adapted to life on earth, there are millions of different species. Why is this the case?
PATTERN (static)
PROCESS (dynamic)
PROXIMATE (functional)
Material Cause:
Organisms are constructed differently, have different DNA
Efficient Cause:
DNA mutates, many organisms sexually reproduce, recombination
ULTIMATE (evolutionary)
Final cause:
Organisms take advantage of the environment in different ways
Formal cause:
Environmental heterogeneity and biological tradeoffs plus large timescales
.footnote[ .small-font[Aristotle; Tinbergen, 1963; Nesse, 2013]] --- class: middle, left, bg_ideal_v2 .pull-right[ We would love to see this after instruction! ] --- class: middle, left, bg_reality_v2 --- class: middle, left, bg_lian .pull-left[ ## Preliminary Takeaways ↪️ Most common explanations invoke Final and/or Efficient causality (i.e., ultimate-pattern or proximate-process) and shift regularly around these between pre-post
↪️ Formal instruction is not nudging students toward Formal causality
↪️ Students invoking Formal causality in both assignments are more likely to have more biology credits (_p-value_ = 0.06)] -- .pull-low[ .center[ .mezzo-forte-font[ 🧵 Weave evolutionary theory & principles into _every_ class!]]] .footnote[ Araújo, 2020] --- class: middle, left, bg_2birds -- ## Questions
Best methods for analyzing categorical data of this kind?
Any general feedback!
-- .bottom[ .large-font[ .pink[Thank you!]]]