Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

Question 1

what is natural selection?

Answer 1

• human behaviour is driven by the need to survive and reproduce
• males and females need to make sure they have kids that survive to adulthood
• genes that have reproductive advantage will increase in the gene pool as they are able to survive

Question 2

what is inter sexual selection?

Answer 2

• strategy of usually females bc of:
• high investment cost and parental certainty
• pick the highest quality mate from a wide selection of mates
• according to attractive features, indicating good genes

Question 3

what is intra sexual selection?

Answer 3

• strategy of usually males due to:
  -low investment cost and parental uncertainty
• competing between each other for access to a large quantity of females to impregnate
• favours dominant large males

Question 4

what is Male- Female dimorphism?

Answer 4

• enhances secondary characteristics are selected by both genders
• leading to these becoming more common in the population

Question 5

what do females look for in males?

Answer 5

• qualities that would help raise a child to adulthood
• resources/money
• physical characteristics linked to dominance
• V shaped chest

Question 6

What do males look for in females?

Answer 6

• look for signs of fertility that indicate healthy production of offspring
• large breasts
• young facial features
• body shape of 0.7 waist to hip ratio (hourglass)
• this indicates sexual maturity but not pregnant

Question 7

Evidence for evolutionary selection of partner preferences: Buss survey on 10,000 adults when selecting a mate

Answer 7

• males prioritised factors that indicated reproductive capacity
• younger age
• chastity (loyalty)
• good looks
• females prioritised factors that indicated resources such as:
• money
  -ambition
  -industriousness (working)
• these match the characteristics predicted by the evolutionary approach
• this is universal across all cultures

Question 8

Evidence for evolutionary selection of partner preferences: Dunbar and Waynforth (1995) lonely hearts study

Answer 8

• content anaylsed 900 personal dating ads across the US
• 42% of males look for ‘youthful’ mates compared to 25% of females
• men more likely to emphasise their economic status
• women more likely to emphasise their looks
• supports women wanting men with status and resources
• men wanting women that can reproduce

Question 9

Evidence for evolutionary selection of partner preferences: Clarke and Heartfields questions by college students

Answer 9

• M and F students asked students of the opposite gender 3 questions:
• ‘will you go out with me tonight?’
• ‘will you go back to my house?’
• ‘will you have sex withe me?’
• 50% of both genders agreed to a date
• 0% of females wanted sex compared to 75% of males
• supports men wanting to sleep w as many women as possible compared to women being more selective

Question 10

Evaluation: conflict between sexual selection and natural selection

Answer 10

• adaptions that are sexually selected e.g. peacock feathers may be selected for sexual selection
• but it would actually be a disadvantage for survival

Question 11

Evaluation: research that supports what men are attracted to= Cunningham and singh

Answer 11

• cunning (1986)= men more attracted to youthful faces- singh (1993)= cross culture preference for 0.7 hip to waist ratio

Question 12

Evaluation: legitamises gender double standards

Answer 12

• legitamises gender double standards between men and women
• sexual differences may have been exaggerated
• suggesting alpha bias

Question 13

Evaluation: research could be socially sensitive

Answer 13

• findings could be used as justification for shaming women for their sexual behaviour

Question 14

Evaluation: doesn’t explain homosexual relationships

Answer 14

• doesnt explain homosexual partner preference
• uses the excuse that theyre trying to pass genes onto the next person