relationships- explanations for partner preference Flashcards
define natural selection
-any genes advantageous for survival naturally selected
what is sexual selection?
genes that promote successful reproduction are selected
what’s anisogamy?
refers to the difference between male and female sex cells
-male sex cells (sperm) plentiful bc relatively cheap
-female sex cells (ova) are ‘expensive’ bc they require more energy to produce
what’s the consequence of anisogamy?
-plenty of fertile males but fertile females are a rarer ‘resource’
-gives rise to two mating strategies- intra-sexual and inter-sexual
what’s inter-sexual selection?
selection of mates between sexes (females select males/males select females)
what’s the role of female investment in inter-sexual selection?
-females make a greater investment of time, commitment etc. before, during and after birth (Trivers 1972)
-quality over quantity
-females optimum mating strategy is to select a genetically-fit partner who is able to provide resources
what’s the role of the impact of partner preference on inter-sexual selection?
preferences of both sexes determine attributes that are passed on
-e.g. if height considered attractive trait, increases in the male population over generations bc females choose the tallest males- the trait becomes exaggerated
-over time leads to taller and taller men being selected (runaway process)
define intra-sexual selection
selection of mates within sexes (e.g. males compete with other males for mates)
intra-sexual: male preference
-males compete for access to females as sperm plentiful but fertile females are limited resource and are choosy
-males who ‘win’ pass on genes to next gen so traits contributed to their victory (e.g. height) are perpetuated
intra-sexual: impact on partner preference
-intra-sexual selection pressures lead to certain patterns of human reproductive behaviour
-physical consequences- males who are bigger win competitions for mates, so size is selected in males. signs of fertility selected (e.g. narrow waist indicates youthfulness)
-behavioural consequences- male aggressiveness also helps win competitions
ao3 partner preference: research support for intER-sexual selection
-(Clark and Hatfield 1989) students asked other students: ‘Have been noticing you around campus. I find you to be very attractive. Would you go to bed with me tonight?’
-no female students agreed but 75% of males agreed to females’ requests
-supports view that females choosier than males in PP and males have evolved a different strategy to ensure reproductive success
ao3 partner preference: counter point for support for intER-sexual selection
-Buss and Schmitt (2016) claim sexual selection theory simplistic bc suggests one strategy adaptive for all males and another adaptive for all females
-Instead, both have similar preferences when seeking L-T relationships (e.g. loyalty, love, kindness, etc.).
-more complex and nuanced evolutionary view of PP, it takes account of the context of reproductive behaviour.
ao3 partner preference: research support for intRA-sexual selection
-Buss (1989) surveyed over 10,000 adults in 33 countries asking ab attributes predicted to be important in PP
-found F valued resource-related characteristics more than males (i.e. good financial characteristics) males seek signs of reproductive capacity (i.e. youth)
-These findings reflect consistent sex difference in preferences, supporting predictions from sexual selection theory.
ao3 partner preference: social and cultural influences are underestimated
-PP have been influenced by changing social norms and cultural practices. These have occurred too rapidly to be explained in evolutionary terms
-wider availability of contraception and changing roles in the workplace mean women’s partner preferences are no longer resource-orientated (Bereczkei et al 1997)
-suggests PP due to both evolutionary and cultural influences- a theory which fails to explain both is limited
ao3 partner preference: sexual selection and homosexuality
-sexual selection theory explains partner choice in hetero men (fertility/attractiveness) and women (resources/ambition) but what about homosexual mate choice (not for reproduction)?
-research into ‘personal ads’ shows homosexual men and women use different strategies from each other that are in line with their heterosexual counterparts (Lawson et al 2014)
