Relationships- evolutionary explanations Flashcards
What is natural selection
Ability to survive in a particular environment (survival of the fittest).
What is evolution
The process of genes mutating over time, sometimes giving individuals an advantage when competing for resources like food and mates.
What two main premises is Darwin’s theory of evolution based off
- Survival
- Reproduction
What is sexual selection
An evolutionary explanation for partner preference.
Attributed or behaviours that increase reproductive success are passed on and may become exaggerated over succeeding generations of offspring.
What is anisogamy
Differences between male and female sex cells
What is intER-sexual selection
One sex chooses from a group of prospective mates according to attractiveness.
What is intRA-sexual selection
Members of one sex compete for access to the other sex.
What sex in intER-sexual selection preferred by
Females
Why is IntER-sexual selection preferred by females
Females make a greater investment of time, commitment and other resources before, during and after the birth of their offspring.
Females may be quite fussy, and wisely choose a partner who can offer resources (food, territory and protection).
Why is it important for a female to find a mate with good resources
This will enhance the female’s reproductive success, as any child she bears will have a greater chance of survival due to resource availability (and consequently, passing these genes on).
What is optimum strategy
Select a genetically fit partner who is able and willing to provide resources. This leaves the males competing for the opportunity to mate with the fertile females.
What is the sexy sons hypothesis
Female mates with a male with desirable characteristics, and this ‘sexy’ trait is inherited by her son, increasing the likelihood that successive generations of females will mate with her offspring.
What sex prefers intRA-sexual selection
Males
What does intRA sexual selection involve
Competition between (intra) males to be able to mate with a female.