Evolutionary psychology Flashcards
Who was Charles Darwin, and what did he contribute to psychology?
English naturalist, geologist, and biologist who published The Origin of the Species in 1859, introducing natural selection.
What are two concepts introduced by Darwin that go beyond survival?
Sexual selection: Traits that attract mates or outcompete rivals (e.g., peacock tails).
Group/Kin selection: Altruism that increases group survival, making altruism an adaptive trait.
What is evolutionary psychology?
Theoretical approach examining psychological processes as adaptations evolved to solve ancestral survival and reproductive problems.
What are examples of behaviors considered adaptive traits?
Mate preferences and sexual jealousy.
Why are females considered the more selective sex in mate preferences?
Females invest more in reproduction (e.g., pregnancy, childbirth) and prefer mates with good genes or resources.
What traits do males prioritise when selecting mates?
Youth, fertility, and traits indicating reproductive success.
Why do males prefer youthful-looking features in females?
Youthful features (e.g., big eyes, small nose) signal fertility and higher chances of reproductive success.
What did Shackelford et al. (2005) find about male preferences?
Males idealised female faces resembling 14-year-old’s, indicating preferences for youthful proportions.
What is the optimal WHR for females, and why?
0.7; it signals fertility, youth, and health, supported by studies (Singh, 1993; Singh, 2010).
How does menopause affect WHR?
Testosterone increases during menopause, leading to a higher waist-to-hip ratio.
How does skin condition relate to male mate preferences?
Smooth, even skin tones and facial redness (linked to ovulation) indicate youth, fertility, and hormonal health.
What masculine traits do females find attractive, and why?
Strong jawlines, defined features, and muscular bodies
All show high testosterone, fitness, and good genes.
How does testosterone relate to masculinity?
Suppresses the immune system, making it an “honest signal” of quality if males can overcome its effects.
What male body shape do females prefer, and why?
V-shaped torso (broad shoulders, narrow waist) linked to dominance and testosterone levels.
Why do females prefer taller males?
Shows masculinity, intelligence, competence, and resources, supported by cross-cultural evidence (Karazsia et al., 2017; Buss, 1989).
Why do females value males with resources?
ensure protection, food, and safety for offspring, and are often signaled by status traits.
What were the findings of Buss (1989) on cross-cultural mate preferences?
Females valued resource acquisition traits.
Males valued youth and physical attractiveness.
What methodological limitations were present in Buss’s study?
Issues with back translation, unrepresentative samples, and potential social desirability bias in self-reports.
How do modern dating apps reflect evolutionary mate preferences?
Females are more selective and receive more attention.
Males casually “like” more profiles, indicating competition for mates.
What camera angle differences were found in Tinder selfies?
Males: Photos taken from below emphasize height and masculinity.
Females: Photos from above highlight youth and fertility.
What is the parental investment theory?
The sex investing more in offspring (females) is more selective, while the less-investing sex (males) competes for access.
How do sex differences affect jealousy?
Females: React more to emotional infidelity.
Males: React more to sexual infidelity due to paternity uncertainty.
What did Buss (1992) find about reactions to imagined infidelity?
Males showed greater distress to sexual infidelity, while females reacted more to emotional infidelity.
What brain regions were activated in sexual vs. emotional infidelity?
Males: Amygdala and hypothalamus (linked to aggression).
Females: Temporal sulcus (linked to trustworthiness).
How does evolutionary psychology explain same-sex preferences?
Though less directly reproductive, same-sex behaviors may have adaptive benefits, such as fostering strong social bonds or allomothering.
What evidence supports heritability in same-sex attraction?
Studies suggest male homosexuality is heritable through the maternal line, and female relatives of gay men have higher fertility (Camperio-Ciani et al., 2004; 2012).
What are common critiques of evolutionary psychology?
Predominantly theoretical with limited testability.
Large uncertainty about ancestral environments.
Neglect of non-genetic explanations.
Ethical concerns over interpretations of findings.
Does evolutionary psychology argue for nature or nurture?
Both; behaviors are influenced by genetic predispositions and environmental interactions.
