4.3.2 relationships

Question 1

evolution

Answer 1

Characteristics evolve because they have been passed on from generation to generation 
This requires the organism : 
To live to the reproductive age 
To mate successfully 
To ensure the offspring's survival

Question 2

hatfield and clarke

Answer 2

100 male and 100 female university students
Asked a specific question and randomly approached 100 of the opposite sex and asked for sex.
75% of men said yes
0% of women said yes

Question 3

natural selection

Answer 3

Ability to survive in a particular environment

Question 4

sexual selection

Answer 4

Ability to attract and find a mate and reproduce successfully
Attributes and behaviours that increase reproductive success are passed on.
A view that competition for mates between individuals of the same sex affects the evolution of a certain trait
e.g. Attraction
If a characteristic increases the chance of reproduction of an individual, the characteristic will be adaptive because the animal will have more offspring
Survival of the ‘sexiest’

Question 5

gametes

Answer 5

Anisogamy- Difference between male and female sex cells ( gamete)
- leads to 2 types of sexual selection in males and females
Sperm – small
- mobile
- continuously produced with little energy
Egg – large
- static
- requires more energy
- only produced at intervals over a limited number of years
- fertile females are a ‘resource’

Question 6

intersexual selection

Answer 6

What women seek in a partner
The preference 1 sex (usually females) have for members of the opposite sex who possess certain qualities
Humans are ‘pre-programmed’ to attend to displays of these important indicators and mate with the individuals who possess them ( mate choice)
Broad shoulders/small waist
Money stability
Sexy-son hypothesis (argues that women want to have sons who are also eventually found more desirable by the opposite sex)
Good resources – economic and financial stability
- Well educated
-Interpersonal skills
Good genes – good health ( skin/ hair/ weight)
- facial symmetry
- also disadvantaged traits
Good parents – good skills ( caring/affectionate/ ability to provide)

Question 7

intrasexual selection

Answer 7

What men seek in a partner
Usually mates compete with each other for ‘access’ to members of the opposite sex – sex-victors mate and pass on their genes- winning traits are passed on to the next generation.
Male competition
Competition for women
Likes to look after less financially stable people
Wide hips/small waist/ big breasts
Maternal mothering person

Question 8

AO3

Answer 8

(+) Buss’ study of actual marriages in 29 countries found men express marked preference for younger women
(-) Evolutionary explanations ignore social and cultural influences. Western societies have experienced change on women’s independence and gender equality- meaning that a women may no longer rely on a man for resources
(-) Kasser and Sharma (1999) found their analysis of 37 cultures that females mostly valued a mate with resources in societies where women’s access to education and workplace is severely limited. Making evolutionary explanations limited
(-) Ignores asexuality
(-) Arranged marriage and forced marriages
(-) Relationships are too complex
(-) Virtual relationships

Question 9

factors affecting attraction

Answer 9

There are 3 factors affecting attraction:
Self disclosure
Matching hypothesis
Filter theory

Question 10

factors affecting attraction

Answer 10

There are 3 factors affecting attraction:
Self disclosure
Matching hypothesis
Filter theory

Question 11

matching hypothesis

Answer 11

Hypothesis 1- attractive people expect attractive partners
Hypothesis 2- couples who are equally matched are happier
Matching hypothesis

Question 12

physical attractiveness- halo effect

Answer 12

Physically attractive people are rated as kind, strong, sociable and successful, compared to unattractive people
The belief that good looking people will have such characteristics that make them more attractive to us, so we behave more positively towards them.
A self-fulfilling prophecy
Called a halo effect

Question 13

physical attractiveness

Answer 13

Neotenous faces ( baby face)= widely separated large eyes, small chin and small nose.
Triggers a caring instinct.
Baby schema
Evolutionary theory sees common factors of physical attractiveness as including signs of genetic fitness in mates, such as facial symmetry and muscularity.
Signs of healthy maturity is favoured too, as they suggest resource richness
In females, physical indicators of fertility are favoured, such as signs of health, such as lustrous hair and indicators of youth such as slimness and round baby-like eyes

Question 14

physical attractiveness AO3

Answer 14

Individual differences- not everyone places importance on physical attractiveness.- Towhey (1979) asked male and female pp to rate how ,much they would like a target individual based on their photograph and some biographical information, also completed a questionnaire to measure sexist attitudes. Pp who scored high on the questionnaire were more influenced by physical attractiveness.
Taylor (2011) studied online dating site date choices and found online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive than them
Murstein (1972) and Silverman (1971) conducted correlational studies with couples. Psychologists measured the attractiveness level of each partner of actual couples and more than 1 ‘judge’ provided the ratings of each members of the couple individually. Significant similarity between partner’s levels of attractiveness was found.