Chap 3 (In Class) Flashcards
Universal Motives
- some motives are universal:
- –you will see them in every culture
- –born with them/genetic
- deprived from and. Asked on evolutionary theory
- still variability at the individual and cultural level in these universal motives
- cultures have co-opted these universal motives:
- –cultures have built up rituals or laws around universal motives (food, water, etc)
Sex in Mammals:
Stimulus (External) Factors:
- visual stimuli (pictures, porn, etc.)
- touch (masturbation)
- –close-up, immediate trigger for arousal
- –context matters (right person/situation)
- individual differences (body, hair, smile, etc.)
- hormone effects in lower animals vs humans (on their own flashcards)
Pheromone effects in lower animals
-vomeronasal organ (brain receptors)
- effects of pheromones of sending animal –>
depends on –>
hormones in receiving animal
Pheromone effects in humans:
4 steps
- study by Wysocki and Preti 2004
1. primer effects:- endocrine system (receiving human)
- effects on menstrual cycle (pair up)
- stimulate release of luteinizing hormone
- signalers:
- provide information
- olfactory recognition of newborn by its mother
- strippers’ tips higher when ovulating (2007 study)
- modulators:
- (pheromone receiving) modify emotion or mood
- exude different odors based on mood
- exposure to male pheromones leads to relaxation and reduces tension
- releasers:
- sexual behavior
- NO EVIDENCE (pheromones have releaser effects in humans)
Pheromones in humans:
male sweat on women
-Exposure to male sweat effects on women (Preti et al., 2003)
-Collected sweat from males who refrained from
using deodorant for 4 weeks
-Extracts taken
-Applied to upper lip
-Results:
- rise in lutenizing hormone (typically surges before
ovulation)
-over 6 hours, reported feeling more relaxed
-over 6 hours, reported feeling less tense
Physical Attractiveness
- Physical attractiveness is a major component of sexual attraction
- Indicator of reproductive potential
- Innate recognition, selection, and preference for certain universally attractive traits
- Cultural diversity
Evolutionary psychology assumption
- Each sex has its own advantage and disadvantage in mating
- The advantage and disadvantage will affect what each sex finds:
- “Attractive”
- Trigger for jealousy
Evolutionary psychology assumption:
Women
- Advantage: certain of her maternity
- Disadvantage: larger investment of time, energy and resources
- Women should prefer a long-term mate who indicates access to resources and commitment
Evolutionary psychology assumption:
Men
- Advantage: lower parental investment
- Disadvantage: uncertain of paternity
- Men should prefer a long-term mate that is young and healthy- which is indicated by being physically attractive
Sex in mammals: stimulus factors (NOT including difference between genders)
- Attractiveness
- Variety
- coolidge effect
- rams and ewes (Bermant, 1976)
- Male and Female on separate cards
Sex in mammals: stimulus factors: male
- Based less on specific physical traits
- Status, dominance, resources
- Height is only consistent physically attractive trait
Sex in mammals: stimulus factors: female
- Traits indicative of reproductive value
- Youth and health
- Cunningham (1986): large smile, large eyes, small nose, small chin, high and defined cheekbones, high eyebrows
- Indicating: friendliness, sexual arousal, innocence, status/maturity
Evolutionary psychoogy
-Evolutionary psychology’s interpretation of males’ innate (untaught) urge for variety:
-Not “males one prime goal is to transmit as many
genes into next generation”
-But that mechanisms promoting urge for variety
involved because in the past they increase
reproductive success
-Success is not a goal
-Can reverse these tendencies by learning
Learning and culture: Animals
- Rats: early odor experiences affect later sexual experiences
- Primates: learning may be necessary
- Harlow’s monkeys “their hearts were in the right place, but nothing else was”
- Castrated animals with and without prior sexual experience
Learning and culture: Humans
Four cultures
- Cross cultural variations
- Inis Beag (Ireland):
- Very little sex
- Lots of anxiety around sex
- Dani (New Guinea):
- Little sex
- Little anxiety around sex (not important to them)
- Mangaia (Polynesia):
- Sex is very important/lots of it
- No anxiety around sex
- Mehinaku (Brazil):
- Have a lot of sex/important
- Lots of anxiety around sex
- Inis Beag (Ireland):
- Children without cultures (Victor and Genie)
- Felt urges and didn’t know who to direct them to
- Can’t implement the urges
