evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

Question 1

what is the idea of sexual selection

Answer 1

the selection of characteristics that aid successful reproduction(rather than survival)

Question 2

selection for females

Answer 2

chooose males with particular characterises to produce robust offspring perpetuated in future gens

Question 3

adaptive characteristics for males

Answer 3

-e.g aggressiveness bc they provide advantage for a male over competitive reproductive rights
-aggressiveness passed to offspring and helps to remain in the population

Question 4

what is natural selection?

Answer 4

-Darwin survival of the fittest

Question 5

what is sexual selection?

Answer 5

-attributes or behaviours increasing reproductive sucess are passed on and become exagerated over time

Question 6

what is human reproducitve behaviour?

Answer 6

-behaviours allowing them to reproduce and increase survival chances of our genes

Question 7

what anisogamy

Answer 7

-refers to differences between male and female gametes

Question 8

what are male gamete like

Answer 8

-small
-highly mobile
-unlimited supply
-don’t neeed much energy to be produced

Question 9

what are female gametes like

Answer 9

-large
-static
- produced at intervals
-limited fertile years
-a lot of energy required

Question 10

what is one consequence of anisogmay

Answer 10

-no shortage of fertile males but a fertile female is much rarer resource
-ansiogamy is importsnt in partner preference because it gives a rise to two types of sexual selection

Question 11

what is inter sexual selection

Answer 11

-between the sexes - strategies that males use to select females or strategies used by females to select males
-female values quality of quantity

Question 12

what was trivers theory on inter sexual selection

Answer 12

-females make greater investment of time commitment and other resources before, during and after birth offspring
-both sexes are choosy
-but female is more choosy due to the consequences of choosing wrong partner
-female wants genetically fit partner who can provide

Question 13

what’s an example of trivers theory

Answer 13

-if height was attractive male trait by females then it would increase in the male pop over successive generations
(females will always select the tallest males then characteristic becomes exaggerated)
- a runway process

Question 14

what was ronald fishers sexy son hypothesis

Answer 14

-female who mates with a male who has a certain characteristic then will have sons with a ‘sexy trait ‘
-her sons are more likely to be selected by successive generations of females who will mate with her offspring

Question 15

why is sexual selection important for males

Answer 15

-males produce sperm in thousands (quick and easy)
-so they want to mate w many females bc this results in max number of offspring.

Question 16

what is intra sexual selection

Answer 16

-within each sex
-strategies between males to be the one selected
-male prefer quantity over quality
-competition between males to be the one selected by a female
- characteristics that contributed to his victory of being chosen go to his offspring

Question 17

what has the strategy led to

Answer 17

-sexual dimorphism
-males and female therefore end up looking for very different
- larger males more advantaged and more likely to reproduce
- for females youthfulness is selected bc males prefer to mate w younger and fertile women

Question 18

what characterises are favoured that allow males to outcompete their rivals

Answer 18

-deceitfulness
-intelligence
-aggression
can acquire fertile female and protect them

Question 19

positives

Answer 19

(research support for inter sexual)
- clark and hatfield= sent female and male psych students across a uni campus
-approached student w question of “ i’ve been noticing you around campus i find you very attractive would you to bed with me”
-not a single female agreed to the request whereas 75% of males did
-supports view females are choosier than males but males want to ensured reproductive success

(research support for intra sexual )
-Buss = carried out a survey on over 10,000 adults in 33 countries
-he found females placed greater importance resource related characteristics e.g good financial prospects and ambition
-males wnated physical attractiveness and youth as signs of fertility
- support predictions. from sexual selection theory

Question 20

weaknesses

Answer 20

(counterpoint for research support for inter sexual selection)
-BUSS AND SCHMIDT argue that both females and males adopt similar mating strategies when seeking long term RS
-very choosy and look for partners who are loyal,loving, kind
-theres a more complex view of how evolutionary pressures infulence partner preference
-one off sexual partners also dont guarntee males will pass their DNA, regular intercourse throughout month increases likelihood of fertalisation.

(social and cultural infulences underestimated)
-theres rapidly changing norms and values
-changes may have occured due to cultural factors e.g contraception available
-woman have greater role in work place done depend on men.
-Bereczkei=social change has consequences for women preferences- may no longer be resource oreintated
-pereferences today are likely evolutionary and cultural but the theorys explanation is limited.

(sexual selection and homosexuality)
-cannot explain partner preferences of gay and les
-homosexual RS may not asess genetic fitness but perhaps qualities like caring for offspring
-Lawson et al -studied personal ads and found variety between homosexual and heterosexual woman and men
-alot of ‘romance’ comes down to individual differences

Question 21

more supporting points

Answer 21

(support from lonely hearts research)
-WAYNFORTH and DUNBAR= studied lonely hearts in american newspapers
-woman offered physical attractiveness and indicators of youth(flirty, exciting,sexy , curvy)
-men offered resources and sough youth

Question 22

more weak evaluation

Answer 22

(gender bias)
-men presented as sexually promiscous not always the case tho
-ignores benefits of promiscuity for females(produce better quality offspring)

(biological reductionism)
-evolutionary factors overemphasised
-choosing partner in modern society is more than about reproduction

(self report studies and valdidity)
-focused too much on reported preferences rather than IRL choices
-lacks validity
-preferences dont predcit IRL outcomes
-what we say we like vs what we find attractive contradict.

Question 23

what was the waist-hip research?

Answer 23

-men prefer female body shape that signals fertility
-SINGH(2002)= found generally a ratio from around 0.7 was found to be attractive
-wider hips, narrow waist signaled fertility

Question 24

how can we evaluate the spice finch?

Answer 24

-its monomorphic(exists in only one form- little variation
-blows darwins theory of sexual selection