Relationships - Paper 3 Flashcards
What is sexual selection
Any genes which are advantageous for survival and nature selected. Promote successful reproduction
What is anisogamy
The difference between male and female sex cells. Male (sperm) plentiful whereas female are expensive.
Fertile females are rarer resource
Inter-sexual selection
Selection of mates between sexes
Female - quality over quantity - investment time, commitment - provide resources
Impact - attributes passed on - e.g. height, runaway process constantly taller males
Intra sexual selection
Selection of mates within sexes
Male strategy - quantity over quality - traits contribute to victory
Physical consequences - bigger win competition
Behavioural consequences - aggressiveness
Evaluate evolutionary explanations for parter preferences
+ research support inter - Clark et al - students, no females agreed to have sex but 75% males agreed
- counter - Buss et al - oversimplistic one strategy adaptive for one and one another - both seek long term
+ Buss et al intra - 10,000 adults, important preferences, females resources, males physical attractiveness
- social and cultural influences - women work so don’t need resources
What is self - disclosure
Revealing intimate information to another person.
Most people afraid to disclose too much too soon
Important role in developing a relationship beyond initial attraction
What is social penetration theory (SPT)
Altman and Taylor gradual process of revealing inner self
Gain trust
Reciprocate and reveal personal information
SPT - Penetration
Leads to development - increasingly disclose more information as penetrate
Depenetration how dissatisfied partners self disclose less as they disengage
SPT - Breadth
Narrow to begin with
Too much info is revealed may be off-putting and one partner may quit the relationship
SPT - depth
Develops more layers are gradually revealed
Reveal more intimate info including painful memories
Reciprocity of self disclosure
Shaver et al - received sensitively by other partner. Further self disclosure
Evaluation of self disclosure
+ research support - Sprecher et al - strong correlations between satisfaction and self disclosure - more committed
- correlation not causation - could be more time or satisfied disclose
- culture bias - Tang et al - US more than China - no satisfaction difference - not generalisable
Explaining the importance of attractiveness symmetry
Shackelford et al - symmetrical face more attractive - genetic fitness can’t be faked - evolutionary explanation
Baby face as attractive
Neotenous feature thought to trigger protective and caring instincts, formation of attachment in infancy
Evolutionary - naturally selected
Halo effect describes how physical is generalised
Preconceived ideas about the attributes of physical attractive people. All other attributes are positive
Dion et al physically attractive people are consistently rates as kind, strong and successful compared to unattractiveness
Walster et al - matching hypothesis
Choose partners who match us in attractiveness
Walster et al - matching hypothesis procedure
Computer dance - students rated on physical attractiveness by observers who completed questionnaires
Told data used to pair partners, but in fact randomly paired
Walster et al - matching hypothesis - findings
Physically attractive partners liked the most and more likely asked on a date
Berscheid et al replicated and chose partner similar attractiveness
Avoid rejection by physically attractive
Evaluation of physical attractiveness
+ research support halo - Palmer et al - attractive rated more politically knowledgable and competent - dangers for democracy.
- research doesn’t support matching hypothesis - Taylor et al - online dating activity logs - people sought dates were more physically attractive than themselves
+ counter - Feingold’s meta analysis - correlation in ratings of physical attractiveness between romantic partners
What is filter theory
Fields of available and field of desirable
Kerckhoff and Davis
The first filter - social demography
Factors that influence chances of meeting
Geographical location and social class
Homogamy - partner similar to you
The 2nd filter - similarity in attitudes
Sharing belief and values - agreeing
Law of attraction - Byrne mutual attraction