Psychology - Relationships - Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences Flashcards
Who came up with the theory of natural selection?
Charles Darwin (1859)
What do evolutionary explanations for partner preferences focus on?
reproductive success
Reproductive success
focused on selecting the right mate, competing against rivals, successful conception and child rearing
Sexual selection
selecting a mate because of the characteristics they possess which might be an advantage in human reproductive behaviour. This may be attractive to potential mates and increases chances of sexual selection.
Intrasexual selection
One sex competes with members of the same sex to gain access to members of the opposite sex.
What characteristics may individuals successful in intrasexual selection possess?
Successful individuals posses characteristics such as size or strength (males) which act as a reproductive advantage, they can mate and pass on their genes
Intersexual selection
Looks at males and females and their preferences for desirable qualities in mates. Members of the opposite sex who have these characteristics gain a mating advantage over those who do not, eg, females selecting males who are strong and have resources
Anisogamy
Sexual reproduction in which the gametes of the two sexes are dissimilar
Female Anisogamy
Gametes are large, static, produced once a month which is costly with lots of energy required, limited by age (menopause)
Male Anisogamy
The gametes are small, mobile, produce vasts amounts of sperm in a short amount of time, not much energy required, unlimited by age
Why are females choosy?
Because eggs are rare and require a great deal of energy, investment and time (anisogamy). They invest 9 months of their life being pregnant per child. They wish to select a male who is genetically fit, strong and healthy
Why do females select males who are wealthy and who have good resources and money?
because they believe that the male can financially look after her and the children in the future if reproduction occurs
Who devised the Sexy sons hypothesis?
Fisher (1930)
Sexy sons hypothesis (Fisher 1930)
Females sexually select male partners with desirable traits because they would like their sons to inherit these “attractive traits”
Why do males compete with each other?
To mate with females and the most successful male can reproduce and pass on genes
Why do males sexually select many females to reproduce with?
So they can have lots of sexual selection and have a higher chance or reproducing lots of offspring. They can afford to as they produce millions of sperm.
What type of females do males tend to select?
Females who are young, healthy and attractive and who have a small waist, curvy hips and large breasts. Good looking women so their offspring will be good looking
Why do males need to appear big and strong?
Gives them an advantage when sexually selecting a partner as they have strength and success against other males and can help them acquire and protect fertile females to increase reproductive success.
Mate guarding
Males might guard their female partner to prevent them from mating with anyone else
Cuckoldry
Males female partner getting pregnant by another male and having to raise another man’s child
What are male strategies for maximising mating success?
Courtship rituals, size, sperm competition, mate guarding, sneak copulation
Courtship rituals
allows males to display genetic potential through characteristics and resource abilities
Size as a method of intersexual selection
Males evolved to be bigger, demonstrating strength for success in competition against other males. Includes weaponry in some species like deer antlers
Sperm competition
Natural selection acted on males making them more competitive by producing larger testicles, bigger ejaculations and faster swimming sperm
Sneak Copulation
males mate with other females if given the opportunity so that they can increase their chances of reproductive success
How can females gain from sneak copulation?
Their offspring can have wider genetic diversity increasing survival. Having a rich partner and becoming pregnant but if she is caught she could be abandoned.
What are female strategies for maximising mating success?
Sexy sons hypothesis, handicap hypothesis, courtship
Who developed the Handicap hypothesis?
Zahavi (1975)
Handicap Hypothesis (Zahavi, 1975)
believes females select males with handicap, demonstrating superior genetic quality
What may the handicap hypothesis explain?
females finding males attractive who drink and take drugs in large quantities as they are able to handle them showing genetic fitness
Courtship as a method of intersexual selection
Females use courtship to select males on the basis of reproductive fitness. Males demonstrate strength, health and ability to provide resources.
What has intra-sexual selection given rise to?
dimorphism (two forms)
Dimorphism
males and females end up looking different due to intrasexual selection (males bigger and females more fertile and younger looking)
What are the behavioural consequences of intrasexual selection?
Males being more deceitful, intelligent and aggressive.
What are the strengths of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?
- Research support by Clark and Hatfield (1989) on females being pickier - Research by Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999) supporting intersexual selection - Research by Buss (1989) supporting intra-sexual selection
Clark and Hatfield (1989)
Sent m&f psychology students out on a uni campus to approach others and saying “I have been noticing you around campus. I find you very attractive. Would you go to bed with me tonight?” No females agreed but 75% of males did. Shows females are pickier when selecting sexual partners
Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999)
examined idea that older women do not disclose true age in dating because men judge perceived on age due to fertility. Women between 35-50 hid ages implying they do this to find high quality partners before menopause. Supports inter-sexual selection
David Buss (1989)
Carried out survey of 10,000 adults in 33 countries asking questions on attributes that evolutionary theory predicts about intra-sexual selection. Females placed greater focus on resources than males and males valued physical attraction more. Supports intrasexual selection
What are the weaknesses of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?
- It assumes one strategy is adaptive, reductionist as there are other factors. Buss and Schmitt (2016) argue this - Social and cultural influences underestimated Bereczkei et al (1997) - Doesn’t explain partner preferences for gay and lesbian individuals Lawson et al (2014)
Buss and Schmitt (2016)
argues that males and females adopt similar mating strategies when seeking LT relationships and are choosy, look for loving, loyal and kind partners. Much more complex than the evolutionary explanation.
Bereczkei et al (1997)
Influences like contraception and women’s new role in the workplace making them less dependent on males. This social change means women’s mate preferences have changed as they no longer rely on men being breadwinners.
Lawson et al (2014)
Looked at personal ads places by homo and heterosexuals finding that preferences differed. men emphasised physical attractiveness and women emphasised resources
