FE13

Question 1

. It is plausible that coercive male sexuality was a recurrent feature of the ancestral
environment.
a) Describe three different reasons why rape can reduce the fitness of a woman who is thus victimized.

Answer 1

• Physical and psychological trauma
• Eliminates female choice—so if he has poor genetic quality then sucks for her
• If her partner finds out, then he might take away his resources

Question 2

Describe two forms of evidence that support the hypothesis that women possess
evolved psychological mechanisms that lead them to act in ways that, under ancestral conditions, would likely have reduced the threat to female fitness posed by rape

Answer 2

• Ancestral populations—would recognize people from different group/race as a threat. So when women first see a person of a different race, they’re more cautious
o Perceived vulnerability to rape
o Women tend to be more suspicious toward strangers at the time of ovulation. That is to say, they express higher rates of prejudice towards outgroup individuals
• Handgrip test. Included two scenarios—risk of assault vs. not
o Tighter handgrip when they were more fertile than when they weren’t.
• Female risk-taking behavior. Evidence suggests that when the female is most fertile during menstruation, she engages in less risky behavior than when she is less fertile. She will walk alone at night less frequently and will choose more populated areas

Question 3

Although a number of scholars have claimed that rape is less frequent around the time of ovulation than would be expected by chance alone, in fact, there is no evidence that this is true. Can the absence of the predicted periovulatory reduction in the frequency of rape be reconciled with the evidence presented in (b)? Justify your response

Answer 3

• Rape usually occurs with people who are not strangers. The evolved mechanisms are for situations when you don’t know them, or are in risky situations

Question 4

Describe one feature of a man’s environment that is expected to increase the likelihood that he will commit rape, and one feature of the man himself that is expected to increase the likelihood that he will commit rape

Answer 4

• If he grew up in an unstable environment where he is not expected to parentally invest, then he would be more likely to rape
• Harsh environment there’s no time to shop for a mate so you don’t need a female consent
• Or if he’s poor and doesn’t have a lot to compete with.
• Undesirable.