Parental Investment Flashcards
TRIVERS- believes that the characteristics that male and females find desirable are affected by parental investment. (How much time and effort that the parent contributes to the development of their offspring).
Male investment- not costly, minimum effort rearing.
Female investment- substantial, investment is large as it continues internally for nine months after conception, rearing effort.
Differences in investment leads to differences in reproductive Behaviour.
SE- Clarke and Hatfield
Approached students in uni campus- asked go on a date, go back to the apartment and sex. Males scared 75% for sex while 0% for women.
:( lacks generalisation- low EV only used students.
:( ethics- deception and lack of informed consent- cause psychological problems- later guilt.
Investment more in women, know that the baby is theirs. ‘Mummy’s babies. Daddies maybes’
SE- Euler and weitzel- study that looked at which relations children were more closer to.
Maternal grandmother rated closest.
Paternal grandfather rather lest closest.
Explains evolutionary explanation why males should invest less due to ‘paternity uncertainty’
BUT socialisation- men play more part now, stay home while women go out and work- men also stay faithful to one partner.
Wilson-90% same sex murders most involved men at an age when mate competition is most intense. -suggests that men may be programmed to worry about raising a hold that isn’t his.
EVALUATION-
:( deterministic- state behaviour is determined by gender and that we can do little to change it.- therefore as a whole is too simplistic- as adult humans have free will and can change their behaviour( can choose to say home and be faithful to one partner).
Historically biased- more men are willing to be the main carers while women go out and provide and work-
So can also be alpha bias- as they maximise the differences between men and women and is doing so fail to consider individual differences in child rearing style(different techniques in all families) and investment, so lowering IV
cannot be tested scientific- most research lies in self reports and individual differences can limit the validity of any supporting research.
