Love Actually - Evolutionary Perspective (Week 3)

Question 1

Natural Selection

Answer 1

-People with genes well suited to the environment will survive

Question 2

Sexual selection

Answer 2

-preference for specific qualities in a mate to reproduce with

Question 3

kin selection

Answer 3

-prioritizing the survival of kin/offsprings, people who share a portion of your DNA, over self
-think peacocks and their huge tails

Question 4

red queen hypothesis

Answer 4

-frames evolution as a race
-“the red queen runs so fast to stay in the same place”
-we have to constantly evolve in order to keep up with opposing species

Question 5

Why Sex?

Answer 5

-sexual reproduction offers the genetic diversity needed for evolution
-in evolutionary terms sex (reproduction) is more important than survival

Question 6

evolutionary psychology

Answer 6

-examines and explains human behavior through evolution
-sees behavior as adaptive and influenced by evolution
-heteronormative

Question 7

the human brain; organ for sexual selection

Answer 7

-artistic expression, poetic and storytelling use of language, and humor may be developed for our desire to impress the opposite sex
-we notice and are attracted to the thoughts, feelings and actions of another

Question 8

“the standard narrative’ in evolutionary psychology

Answer 8

-men are promiscuous and get with multiple women
-women are more conservative and choose
-both assess each other based on the quality of their offspring

Question 9

sociocultural theories from Lechniller

Answer 9

-biology may have an influence on dating and sex but it is mainly societal norms that drive behavior
-the standard narrative is not universal
-behavior changes as norms change

Question 10

sex at dawn

Answer 10

-states that current dating practices are not natural
-they are just adaptations to agriculture
-challenged the evolutionary perspective

Question 11

homosexual relationships

Answer 11

-according to the evolutionary perspective queer people invest in kin selection because they can’t reproduce (disproven)
-same-sex relationships are more for social interactions

Question 12

monogyny

Answer 12

one husband one wife

Question 13

polygyny

Answer 13

one husband many wives

Question 14

monoandry

Answer 14

one wife one husband

Question 15

polyandry

Answer 15

one wife multiple husbands

Question 16

monogamy

Answer 16

-married to one spouse at a time
-is not the same as love; love is feeling and monogamy is the rule
-is a choice
-hard to maintain because it mandates emotional and sexual exclusivity

Question 17

Consensual Non-Monogamy Subtypes

Answer 17

-open relationships
-polygamy (mariage)
-polyamory (dating)
-not an exclusive list

Question 18

polygamy

Answer 18

married to multiple spouses at once

Question 19

polygamy in culture

Answer 19

-monogamy prescribed in a minority of cultures
-polygamy allowed in majority of cultures but only happens in small percentages within said cultures
-polyandry is rare

Question 20

the oneida community

Answer 20

-started by John Humphrey Noyes
-everyone lives in one mansion sharing sexual partners
-falling in love with one specific person is seen as selfish
-people still fell in love

Question 21

Helen Fisher (Anatomy of Love Ch3)

Answer 21

-monogamy does not imply loyalty
-stated that monogamy is natural with some exceptions
-pair bonding is essential to humans

Question 22

Dan Savage

Answer 22

-sexual impulses, and acting on those impulses, with people outside of committed relationships is natural
-monogamy is not natural
-author and LGBTQ activist of Savage Love

Question 23

Intimate Relationships Chapter 3 Attraction

Answer 23

-instrumentality
-we are attracted to people who can help us achieve our goals
-what we’re attracted to changes as our goals change
-the foundation of attraction
-we want people to fulfill our need to belong
-we want people whose presence is rewarding

Question 24

proximity effect

Answer 24

-we’re more likely to form relationships with the people near us

Question 25

mere exposure effect

Answer 25

-familiarity
-increased fondness with increased exposure
-does not work with people we don’t like

Question 26

convenience

Answer 26

-physical closeness is rewarding, long distance is hard

Question 27

physical attractiveness

Answer 27

-we assume people who are attractive have good characteristics and are more promiscuous
-couples usually match in physical attractiveness

Question 28

waist to hip ratio

Answer 28

-0.7 in women
-0.9 in men
-universal

Question 29

reciprocity

Answer 29

-we want people who are attractive and would like us back
-playing hard to get does not work but selective hard to get works
-we don’t want to be rejected and we don’t want someone who gives themselves to anyone

Question 30

matching effect

Answer 30

-we like people who match us in attractiveness levels
-similarity

Question 31

opposites do not attract but…

Answer 31

-perceived similarity that outsiders can see through
-finding differences take time
-we seek people who are slightly different but are like our ideal selves
-lovers may be different but can help us achieve goals
-the concept of matching is very vague

Question 32

What advice would you give a woman to attract a man?

Answer 32

-wear red
-be confident
-do something adventurous (hiking, horror movie)

Question 33

Survival of the fittest

Answer 33

reproduction success; having babies, passing on genes