relationships: evolutionary explanations for partner preferences ao1 Flashcards
partner preferences are…a
adaptations that have evolved over time
what does it mean by evolutionary explanation of behaviour
if a behavioural feature eg aggression has been genetically inherited from one generation to the next it must have given some kind of survival advantage (natural selection) or it may help attract a mateso increases reproductive sucess
evolution favours what feature?
what does this feature increase the chances of
favours features that attractive to the opposite sex
increases the likelyhood that the possessor will attract a mate and reproduce
in 1871 darwin proposed
sexual selection
what is sexual selection
individuals seek out partners who are more likely to sucessfully reproduce and provide healthy offspring
what is anisogamy
difference between male and female sex cells
differences between sperm and egg
egg is large vs sperm which is small
sperm produced in large quantites, continously created and replenished from puberty to old age
female sex cells take alot of energy to produce theyre only created in a specific time interval and their production only lasts for a certain number of fertile to years so
egg is rare whilst sperm is common
differences between sperm and egg give different …
mating strategies adopted by males and females — intra and itesexual selection
inter-sexual selection
aka mate choice
prefered strategy of females
bc females only have a limited n.o of eggs and have to carry baby to term they have a greater investment (n terms of time energy and resources to care for their offspring) and are thus it pays to be more picky
optimum strategy is to select a generally fit partner who is able and willing to provide resources
based on intersexual selection men are left to…
thus males left competing for opportunity to prove themeselves to females
based on inter sexual selection females desire for a fit male determines …
what is passed on to offspring eg height
intra-sexual selection
aka mate competiton
male strategy - quantity over quality
whereby the winner of the competiton get to mate and pass on the characteristics that lead to victory
intra-sexual selection
- what is physical dimorphism
size diffrences between males and femlaes
eg broader shoulders, taller
larger males have more chance of winning hence have evolved to be bigger
intra sexual selection - controversial beh and psych consequences
eg fighting over a female or being overly clingy
intra sexual selection - in terms of anisogamy its optimum for ….
men to mate and impregnante as many women as possible bc they have the capability to do so with minimum effort and minimum post nt
