Psychology - Relationships - Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

Question 1

Who came up with the theory of natural selection?

Answer 1

Charles Darwin (1859)

Question 2

What do evolutionary explanations for partner preferences focus on?

Answer 2

reproductive success

Question 3

Reproductive success

Answer 3

focused on selecting the right mate, competing against rivals, successful conception and child rearing

Question 4

Sexual selection

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

Intrasexual selection

Answer 5

One sex competes with members of the same sex to gain access to members of the opposite sex.

Question 6

What characteristics may individuals successful in intrasexual selection possess?

Answer 6

Successful individuals posses characteristics such as size or strength (males) which act as a reproductive advantage, they can mate and pass on their genes

Question 7

Intersexual selection

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Anisogamy

Answer 8

Sexual reproduction in which the gametes of the two sexes are dissimilar

Question 9

Female Anisogamy

Answer 9

Gametes are large, static, produced once a month which is costly with lots of energy required, limited by age (menopause)

Question 10

Male Anisogamy

Answer 10

The gametes are small, mobile, produce vasts amounts of sperm in a short amount of time, not much energy required, unlimited by age

Question 11

Why are females choosy?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Why do females select males who are wealthy and who have good resources and money?

Answer 12

because they believe that the male can financially look after her and the children in the future if reproduction occurs

Question 13

Who devised the Sexy sons hypothesis?

Answer 13

Fisher (1930)

Question 14

Sexy sons hypothesis (Fisher 1930)

Answer 14

Females sexually select male partners with desirable traits because they would like their sons to inherit these “attractive traits”

Question 15

Why do males compete with each other?

Answer 15

To mate with females and the most successful male can reproduce and pass on genes

Question 16

Why do males sexually select many females to reproduce with?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

What type of females do males tend to select?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Why do males need to appear big and strong?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Mate guarding

Answer 19

Males might guard their female partner to prevent them from mating with anyone else

Question 20

Cuckoldry

Answer 20

Males female partner getting pregnant by another male and having to raise another man’s child

Question 21

What are male strategies for maximising mating success?

Answer 21

Courtship rituals, size, sperm competition, mate guarding, sneak copulation

Question 22

Courtship rituals

Answer 22

allows males to display genetic potential through characteristics and resource abilities

Question 23

Size as a method of intersexual selection

Answer 23

Males evolved to be bigger, demonstrating strength for success in competition against other males. Includes weaponry in some species like deer antlers

Question 24

Sperm competition

Answer 24

Natural selection acted on males making them more competitive by producing larger testicles, bigger ejaculations and faster swimming sperm

Question 25

Sneak Copulation

Answer 25

males mate with other females if given the opportunity so that they can increase their chances of reproductive success

Question 26

How can females gain from sneak copulation?

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

What are female strategies for maximising mating success?

Answer 27

Sexy sons hypothesis, handicap hypothesis, courtship

Question 28

Who developed the Handicap hypothesis?

Answer 28

Zahavi (1975)

Question 29

Handicap Hypothesis (Zahavi, 1975)

Answer 29

believes females select males with handicap, demonstrating superior genetic quality

Question 30

What may the handicap hypothesis explain?

Answer 30

females finding males attractive who drink and take drugs in large quantities as they are able to handle them showing genetic fitness

Question 31

Courtship as a method of intersexual selection

Answer 31

Females use courtship to select males on the basis of reproductive fitness. Males demonstrate strength, health and ability to provide resources.

Question 32

What has intra-sexual selection given rise to?

Answer 32

dimorphism (two forms)

Question 33

Dimorphism

Answer 33

males and females end up looking different due to intrasexual selection (males bigger and females more fertile and younger looking)

Question 34

What are the behavioural consequences of intrasexual selection?

Answer 34

Males being more deceitful, intelligent and aggressive.

Question 35

What are the strengths of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?

Answer 35

• 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

Question 36

Clark and Hatfield (1989)

Answer 36

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

Question 37

Pawlowski and Dunbar (1999)

Answer 37

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

Question 38

David Buss (1989)

Answer 38

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

Question 39

What are the weaknesses of evolutionary explanations for partner preferences?

Answer 39

• 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)

Question 40

Buss and Schmitt (2016)

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

Bereczkei et al (1997)

Answer 41

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.

Question 42

Lawson et al (2014)

Answer 42

Looked at personal ads places by homo and heterosexuals finding that preferences differed. men emphasised physical attractiveness and women emphasised resources