Gender: Evolutionary Explanations of Gender Flashcards
Describe the division of labour in gender
The traditional idea of gender roles is of man as the hunter and woman as the gatherer and child-rearer.
Describe a further adaptive advantage in division of labour
If a woman were to hunt there would have been a reduction in reproductive success and survivability. However women could contribute to providing food. This not only enhances reproductive success through complementary division labour, but it is also important in avoiding starvation - a further adaptive advantage.
Describe the Neanderthal explanation and how it supports the evolutionary explanation
There is a lot of evidence which supports the evolutionary explanation, for example the extinction of the Neanderthals. The Neanderthals were a species of human who existed in ice-age in Europe and according to this theory, their extinction can be explained by their lack of gender roles. When they would hunt for food, both males and females hunted, leaving the children without comfort or protection. As a result the children died meaning the Neanderthal species didn’t survive. This highlights how important gender roles are in terms of one survival of a species as this theory suggests. The very fact women have evolved to be genetically more nurturing gives a huge benefit to us, as does the fact males are now mainly the providers for the family, allowing the children to be cared for; suggesting this theory’s explanation of gender roles in terms of the division of labour, to be correct.
AID: Why is the evolutionary a deterministic approach to gender roles?
One criticism of this approach is that it is deterministic.
It suggests our genes specify that man naturally take the role of the hunter while women long to care to children.
However this explanation fails to take into account the view of the biological approach, which states that genes only predispose us to behave
Describe Gender Differences in Mate Choice
Gender Differences in mate choice may also be related to adaptive reproductive strategies.
Describe Men in Mate Choice
Men look for partners who are young and physically attractive; according to evolutionary psychologists this is because youth and many features deemed attractive (e.g. smooth skin) are indicators of fertility and health.
Describe Women in Mate Choice
Females are more concerned with finding a partner who can provide resources, thus ensuring the survival of offspring.
Who supported Mate Choice?
Buss
Describe Buss’ findings
Buss supports the idea of Mate Choice as an adaptive strategy. He looked at 37 different cultures. The results supported predictions of the evolutionary theory.
What did Buss find about women?
For example, women want good financial prospects, i.e. men with resources to provide for children.
What did Buss find about men?
Men want physical attractiveness, which research has consistently confirmed to be linked with fertility and men. men also wanted younger women - an indication of fertility
What does E-S stand for?
Empathising-Systemising Theory
Who came up with E-S
Baron-Cohen
What did the E-S theory suggest?
Baron-Cohen found that women are better are empathising (understanding other’s thoughts and feelings) while men are better at systemising (understanding and building systems). E-S theory proposes that this may be the result of selection pressures for males who develop better hunting strategies, and females, who are better at relating to their children.
What is the E-S’ conclusion?
E-S theory suggests that these gender differences are adaptations which provide an evolutionary advantage.
Who supports E-S theory?
Baron-Cohen
What did Baron-Cohen find?
Baron-Cohen carried out a systemising questionnaire, which was developed to demonstrate different cognitive styles of men and women. It supported E-S theory in finding the 83% of males are systematisers and a similar proportion of women are sympathisers.
Describe Stress responses with women in Gender Roles
Women may also be more focussed than men on interpersonal concerns due to the different challenges faced by men and women.
How did males deal with threats in the past?
Ancestral males dealt with threats by preparing to fight or flee.
How did women compare to men?
However, the adaptive response for females as the primary caregivers would be able to protect themselves and their young. This leads to a female’s tendency to tend and befriend in times of stress, while men are more likely to become defensive.
Who supported Stress Responses in Gender Roles
In a study by Ennis et al., levels of cortisol were taken a week before exam and immediately after an exam. There was a significant decrease in females.
What did Ennis’ findings show
This shows that men respond to stressful situations by preparing to ‘fight or flight’, while women respond with decreased anxiety which tends to make people more sociable
AID: Talk about how these are speculative theories
Another criticism of the evolutionary explanations such as accusations that they ignore social explanation (and referring to earlier) are deterministic. However a key criticism is that evolutionary explanations are speculative.
Explain why Evolutionary explanations are speculative
They do not have a firm basis. For example, the appearance of gender-related division of labour may be a plausible explanation for the disappearance of the Neanderthals, but we have no direct evidence of this.
