Re natal sex differences in relation to parental investment Flashcards
Explain what pre natal sex differences in parental investment are and give two examples.
Pre natal sexual differences in parental investment are the differences between the effort/energy put in to the child before it is born.
The differences are
Gestation (process of carrying the baby) the female carries the baby unlike the man.
Anisogamy (the process of producing the egg). The female egg is much bigger than the sperm, she has less of them than the male does sperm and is much more costly to her.
Why is evolutionary theory an ultimate theory
Explains why all men and women have the capacity to behave differently in relationship. Not what causes the behaviour there and then e.g biological explanations.
Pre natal sex differences in parental investment lead to sexual selection. What is sexual selection
Sexual selection is a process that ensures only characteristics that enhance successful reproductive chances to remain in the gene pool.
Explain the two types of sexual selection
Inter sexual selection is the process that ensures only traits and behaviours that are attractive to the opposite sex remain in the gene pool
Intra sexual selection is the process that ensures only traits and behaviours that allow for successful same sex competition to remain in the gene pool
Why is the evolutionary explanation deterministic
Unable to control sexual selection. Can’t determine what genes get selected in and out and therefore can’t determine their human reproductive behaviour.
Both type of sexual selections result in what?
Explain what this is.
Both types of sexual selection leads to sexual dimorphism. This is the sex differences between a species. One example of this is mate choice.
There are two types of sexual dimorphism what are they.
Physical and behavioural
Human reproductive behaviour is an example of a behavioural sexual dimorphism. Give four examples of human reproductive behaviour.
Choosiness
Promiscuity
Jealousy
Mate choice
According to the evolutionary theory mate choice In men and women differ. What should men find attractive in a mate.
Men should find young, curvy, beautiful and non aggressive females attractive.
According to evolutionary theory why should men find these characteristics attractive in a female
Men that prefer younger females have an advantage over men who prefer older females because females have a shorter period in which they are fertile and therefore youth is a sign of fertility. Therefore by going for younger females their likely hood of passing on their genes, successful reproduction, and long term survival is increased. It has been inter sexually selected in also because men who find youth attractive have a good judgement on how to reproduce in the long term and therefore this gene of good judgement will be passed on to offspring.
According to the evolutionary theory women should find a strong wealthy tall aggressive male more attractive because….
Wealth has been sexually selected in via intra selection because a wealthy man has an advantage over a poor man because wealth is a good indicator of ability to gather the most valuable resources. This increases his children ability to reproduce in the future as they will have the best upbringing and the best resources. Also it has been inter sexual selected in because a female that finds a wealthy mam attractive it is an indicator of good judgement. She can therefore pass on the gene of good judgement to his offspring. If she is clued up she Is likely to give her children the best upbringing.
What predictions will evolutionary psychology make about cultural similarities in behaviours.
Will expect cultural similarities because it’s a nature theory. Nature theories all explain behaviours by genetic transmission. This is why all humans have the same pool and therefore cultural similarities.
AO2 empirical evidence. Buss found that in all 37 cultures men preferred younger women. Analyse this finding.
This is what evolutionary theory should predict as youth is an honest indicator of fertility and therefore better able to have a successful pregnancy and pass on his genes.
AO2 buss found that 36 out of 37 cultures women more than men rated earning potential in a mate more highly. Analyse this finding
This is what evolutionary psychology would predict because earning potential is a indicator of ability to gather resources which is what females are unable to do whilst pregnant and whilst brining up the child. Therefore she relies on a male to do so.
AO2 what methodological issues are these which cause us to be cautious about accepting evolutionary explanations
Self report and questionnaires involve the individuals to answer questions regarding mate preference. This may cause individuals to lie about what they really prefer in a mate due to what society may think. This is called social desirability bias. This bias affects the validity of the results from the study.