BBC Human Instinct - Part 3 of 4 - Robert Winston

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Human Instinct - Part 3 of 4: Will to Win



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General Information

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Type.................: documentary - dokumentär

Production...........: BBC

Author/Presenter.....: Robert Winston

More information.....: http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-winston








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Description

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"Human Instinct" is the story of how instincts have made us humans into the

uniquely successful species that we are, despite us not always being aware of

them.



Professor Lord Robert Winston was born in 1940 and named Robert Maurice

Winston. He graduated at London University in 1964 and held junior posts at

the London Hospital from that time. In 1970 he joined the Hammersmith Hospital

as a Registrar and became involved in research and development in

gynaecological microsurgery.



He is well known today to audiences throughout the world for his several BBC

television series, which include The Human Body, Secret Life of Twins and

Superhuman, and through which he has shown a great capacity for communicating

often complex science to a wide public audience. He is Professor of Fertility

Studies at Imperial College School of Medicine, London University, and is

world-renowned as a fertility expert. He also heads the Department of

Reproductive Medicine at the Hammersmith Hospital in London.



In Human Instints Professor Robert Winston provides a unique insight into what

it is that makes us human. And it is the story of our extraordinary instincts

and why we behave the way we do and what other animals reveal about our most

basic drives. With intriguing experiments and secret filming he uncovers the

surprising science of sex. And helps us understand why one human being could

lay down their life for another. In exploring survival, sex, competition and

self-sacrifice, Professor Winston takes viewers on a journey of discovery into

human behaviour, to look at ourselves in an entirely new way.

He believes the series is not science for scientists - it is about trying to

translate complex ideas into something easily accessible for all. He thinks

the whole area of evolutionary psychology has been largely overlooked but

thinks it's fascinating. According to Winston we all carry a prehistoric

baggage around with us and don't have full control over it.



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Part 3:



We?re always competing, even when we least expect it. The will to win is an

instinct that?s kept our species alive. In this programme we discover why

coming out on top feels so great and why losing feels so bad.



The Joy of Victory

For our ancient ancestors, beating the opposition was important. It meant they

were more likely to survive and have children. Those who got a kick out of

winning were more successful and passed the desire for victory on to their

children. So over generations our bodies have evolved to give us a feeling of

euphoria when we win.



A Constant Battle

As young children we compete for the most useful resource available - our

parents? attention. At the University of Michigan, Brenda Volling asks parents

to concentrate their attention on the older of two siblings. Immediately, the

younger children try to force their way into the game. If they fail to get

noticed they release a powerful and effective weapon: the temper tantrum. This

invariably gets them their parent's attention. But when the parent plays only

with the younger child things are quite different. The older sibling is far

more likely to try to impress by following the rules, patiently waiting their

turn, offering to help with the game, or even simply saying "I love you." One

study suggests this difference in strategies continues into later life. Frank

Sulloway studied historical figures in science.



Sizing up the Opposition

We don?t have the energy or resources to compete all the time, so we have

evolved hierarchies to avoid this. We are much more likely to feel competitive

with our friends and colleagues - people we feel on a par with - and therefore

have a realistic chance of beating. But we don?t bother to battle with those

people we feel are much superior, giving way to avoid a fight we would

probably lose. We also, unknowingly, send signals about ourselves. For men, one signal to their place in the hierarchy is in their faces. Larger, wider jaws and chins, and heavy-set brows, are the signs of a dominant face, while a submissive face looks more like that of a child.



The Agony of Defeat

Our bodies also drive us on to win by making losing feel terrible. And we are

more likely to remember our losses- to help us try and avoid doing the same

thing again. But losing is not just about feeling bad. In a hierarchical world

reputations are very important - even more important than not losing is not

being seen to be a loser. Nick Leeson discovered this to his cost. He says his

desire not to be unmasked as someone who had lost money led him on to take

bigger and bigger risks- until his losses brought down Barings Bank.



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The file have two audio tracks. One is english and one is chinese. The easiest

thing is to play the file in VLC player or other player who support two

tracks. English is default in VLC player.



Part 1:

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3737184/BBC_Human_Instinct_-_Part_1_of_4_-_Robert_


Winston



Part 2:

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3737482/BBC_Human_Instinct_-_Part_2_of_4_-_Robert_


Winston