Exam 2 - Chapter 6 Flashcards
Naturalistic fallacy:
Perception that because it happens in nature, its good.
How is beauty is in the eye of the beholder wrong? Given an example.
Beauty is in the perception of the beholder. Example, flies like poop, humans don’t.
What is the function of beauty preferences. Male and Female.
Our preferences function as s signal for health.
For females SHR signals strength which is attractive for competition in mating.
For males its youthful skin, age, and nulliparity (WHR)
Is sexual attraction conscious?
No. It’s an automatic response.
Describe a few ways that faces are sexually dimorphic.
Jaw width, nose prominence, width/length of face.
How does masculinity move with height?
Generally, the taller you are the more masculine you are perceived.
What level of masculinity of females prefer in mates faces? Given they are heterosexual.
Females tend to prefer masculine but not hypermasculine.
What empirical evidence describes cultural preferences for masculinity and femininity preferences.
A comparison of Caucasian and Asian males and females adn asked populations which one they perceived more attractive. Depitcing the images from feminine to masculine.
Traditional societies, males valued for masculine female faces. While modern societies males viewed more feminine faces more attractive.
Female preferences varied and there wasn’t much emphasis on masculine or feminine face features
What are characteristics that are considered when deciding if someone is attractive?
Symmetry
Averageness
Young
What is a biological and evolutionaryway of explaining why we value symmetry?
When developing in utero, sets of genes need to replicate to make the other half of your body. So symmetry is a sign of optimal environment and development staggering in utero
What is some explanations for evidence to describe how individuals usually rate average composites more attractive than individual faces?
Even out skin tone (youth and current health level).
Balances out asymmetry
cancels variation
What are signs and benefits of preferences for youth of females?
Even skin tone or healthy colour signals current health status and fertility
Shoulder to Hip Ratio is an attractive feature to women. What empirical evidence describes this?
Individuals who were perceived as more facial attractive had more grip strength. SHR correlated to attractiveness and higher sexual history
Female WHR is related to attractiveness. What are 5 empirical studies done on how this is not cultural. What does WHR signify?
- Changes overtime in pageants and such. Preference for ~0.7.
- Across cultures art: range that included 0.7
- Males form Zulu, Britain, and males who moved to britain: maintained WHR preference but changes BMI preference.
- Pre and post BBL preference across cultures. Preferred post WHR
- Blind men also prefer WHR 0.7
Nulliparity, youth, age, current pregnancy status
What is Android Pattern of body fat composition? What is it regulated by?
More body fat in the mid section (testosterone regulated
What is Gynoid pattern of fat composition
Fat in the breasts, gluteal femoral tissue in the glutes and thighs used for growing bebeh
What is a supernormal stimulus
Any sexual stimulus that elicits an automatic response more strongly than the sexual stimulus for which it evolved
What are two pieces of empirical evidence that human ovulation isnt completely concealed?
- Naturally cycling erotic dancing women made double amount of tips when they were ovulating
- males tend to find smell preference for t-shirts as female estradiol is increased and progesterone is decreased levels.
What is parental investment theory
Among sexually reproducing organisms, one sex typically invests more (obligate care), and their reproductive potential is limited, making them very picky about their partner.
The other sex that invests less has a greater capacity for overall reproduction, making them more competitive with same-sex rivals and less choosy about sexual opportunities
What is empirical evidence that PIT in their preference for partners?
Females prefer better financial prospects and personaloty like males preferred youth
What is evidence that females vary more in their preference for thier partner (looks/age)
Australian Speed dating. Personality was most valued for females and males valued looks.
What is Kin-Directed-Altruism (KDA) and how is it adaptive
If you recognize who your family is you can help them, they share your genes and if they survive your genes survive
- Avoids insest: inbreeding is genetically risky
- Humans don’t have innate ability to recognize kin
What is the Westermarck Hypothesis?
Being around others of the same species during a key developmental period leads to a suppression of sexual attraction to people around in that key period
What are two pieces of empirical evidence that supports the Westermack Hypothesis?
- Shim-Pua marriage in Taiwan: Minor arranged marriages were associated with fewer offspring and more divorce
- Israeli Kibbutz: Childhood co-residence associated with sexual aversion to opposite sex peers
What are sexual fantasies?
Sexual arousal that can arise from external stimuli, such as the presence or behaviour of a sexually attractive individual or it may arise from within
What evidence do we know about the revelence of sexual fantasies and their alignment with realistic behaviour?
o Men fantasize about sex more than women do
o Fantasies vary in content
o Fantasies can explore impossible scenarios
o Fantasies can be unexpected/taboo
What empirical evidence exists about female fantasies about rape? How would ODSCT fit into this?
As the intensity of “rape” increased, less females said they fantasized about that. there is a hypothesis that women may use this fantasy to validate their own desires through pressure.
ODSCT can help explain that that because they are so alluring someone cant control themselves.
What is the Object of Desire Self-Consciousness Theory
women find it appealing when they get feedback from the world that they are sexually desirable from the world. Other peoples behaviour is telling you that something you’re doing is alluring.
What is Sexual Conditioning
Classical conditioning requires an unconditioned stimulus + neutral -> response. So that the neutral stimulus will produce CR. Cant create a sexual response without US.
Sexual Arousal Response Cycle (Masters & Johnson)
- Excitement: physiological and cognitive responses that coordinate these things. Female Vaso congestion, penile erection. Increased blood flow.
- Plateau: Sexual arousal is maintained. Clitoris retracts, tightening of muscles, secretions from Cowpers glands.
- Orgasm: Sexual Climax. Muscle spasms, uterine contractions
- Resolution: sexual systems restun to unaroused state
What is the refractory period and how long does it last
(~30-90 minutes, longer as age). Its absolute that no amount of will or desire can overcome the absolute early refractory period. Males can be aroused by strong stimuli or novel partner (Coolidge effect) during the relative refractory period.
What is the Coolidge effect?
Males can be aroused by strong stimuli or novel partner (Coolidge effect) during the relative refractory period.
What is Kaplans sexual arousal repsonse model
Incorporates desire before the other phases. This signals the need to integrate psychological processes that play a role in sexual response.
what is Bassons Sexual Response Model
Emphasizes the variety of reasons people choose to have sex (external and internal). Like Emotional intimacy.
What does empirical evidence suggest about the variation in sexual response models
Females prefer the integration of desire (Kaplan and Basson) and some are ok with M&J
