Evolutionary Explanations For Partner Preferences Flashcards
Charles Darwin noticed that evolution favours some features that are attractive to the opposite sex. These favourable features make it more likely that the processor will
Attract a mate to pass on their genes, increase reproductive success that is essential to the evolutionary success
What is sexual selection?
Attributes of behaviours that increase reproductive success are passed on and may become exaggerated over succeeding generations of offspring
Intersexual selection (between the sexes)
The strategies that males and females use to attract/select an opposite sex mate.
Propagation of traits that attract the opposite sex
Intrasexual selection (within each sex)
The strategies that makes use against another male to ensure that they are the ones selected as a mate.
Propagation of traits that enable males to compete with other males to ensure they are selected by a mate
Intersexual selection: females
The females optimum mating strategy is to select a genetically fit partner who is willing and able to provide resources for her and her offspring
Why?
Female Ova only produced at intervals in limited number of fertile years and require great energy to produce
Females make large investment in…
time, energy, effort and commitment both during and after the birth of her offspring
Therefore the consequences of making the wrong…
Partner choice (and producing substandard offspring) are serious for the female
How does this influence mate choice?
Females look for indicators of a genetically fit male: one that can provide and protect her and her offspring
Some indicators include….
A mesomorph physique
A strong jawline and body hair indicate high levels of testosterone
More recently, females seek high levels of intelligence and creativity in a male as they indicate his ability to provide resources
How does this increase reproductive success?
If female mates with a male who has these desirable traits, they will be passed onto her offspring.
Increases the likelihood of future generations of females will mate with her offspring as they have these desirable traits
Ensuring reproductive success
How does this influence reproductive behaviour?
Females optimum reproductive strategy/behaviour is to be particularly choosy and so she will engage in finding a long term stable mate, who can provide and protect in the long term
Intersexual selection: males
Males optimum mating strategy is to select fertile partner who are able to produce numerous offspring
Why?
Male gametes are created continuously in vast numbers from youth to old age and do not require much energy to produce.
The time and effort to produce offspring and the later investment that is made in that offspring is…
Far l SS in comparison the that of a female
How does this influence mate choice?
Males will look for indicators of a fertile female, one that can produce healthy and fit offspring
Such indicators are…
Youth
An ideal waist to hip ratio (0.7) and hour glass figure
How does this increase reproductive success?
If a male mates with numerous fertile females this maximises the optimum chances of his genes enabling them to be passed onto future generations
How does this influence reproductive behaviour?
Males optimum reproductive strategy/behaviour is to mate with as many females as possible, so engage in a number of short term relationships
Intrasexual selection
The evolution of traits that enable males to complete with other males and is the preferred strategy of males
It refers to the competition between males to be able to mate with a female
The winner of the competition reproduces and gets to pass onto his offspring the traits and characteristics that enabled them to be victorious
What kind of traits/ characteristics could these include
Muscle mass/size
Aggressiveness/ assertiveness
Research t support intersexual selection and how this influences reproductive behaviour
Clark and Hatfield male and female students to uni campus, approached students proposing them for sex
75% males agreed 0% females
Adds validity to evolutionary claim that females more ‘choosy’ when it comes to reproductive behaviour
Methodological issues with supporting evidence
Sample of ppts may not be representative in terms of age and culture
University culture makes casual sex encouraged and acceptable compared to other sectors in society
Need to question of far the evolutionary claim of males and females having different strategies to ensure RS can be generalised to wider population
Evidence to show sex differences in partner preferences
Buss cross cultural (37) study, men in university placed more emphasis on physical attractiveness and men in all cultures desired a younger woman
Women’s universal preference for men with resources or characteristics (intelligence and ambition)
Validity to predictions made about sex differences in partner preferences derived from sexual selection theory
Theory criticised for ignoring social and cultural differences
Women’s greater role in the workplace means that they are no longer dependant on men for provision
Bereczkei el al argues social change has consequences for women’s mate preferences that is no longer resourced focused
Preferences most likely a combination of evolutionary and social influences
