Sexual Attraction (Exam 1) Flashcards
nearly – of couples end up in divorce
1/2
–% to –% of people have affairs
30 to 50
what are the 4 components to love?
commitment, idealized perception of loved ones, deep empathy. overwhelming passion
who came up with the sexual selection theory?
Charles Darwin
what is the sexual selection theory?
the evolution of characteristics because of mating benefits rather than survival
sexual selection comes in two forms which are?
same-sex competition and chosen by desire
applying the sexual selection theory to humans led to – –
evolutionary psychology
evolutionary psychology developed in the late – to – (1900s))
70s to 80s
humans choose mates via a –
strategy
what are adaptations?
evolved solutions to problems of survival and reproduction
true of false: sexual strategy requires conscious intent
false
sexual strategy comes with – strategy
psychological (love, desire etc.)
in elephant seals, female preference determines?
rules for male contest
human males and females must – to attract mates
compete
true or false: tactics used to compete (by male or females) are dictated by the preferences of those they want to attract
true
this animal copulates for three days in order to prevent mate poaching
lovebugs
past males risked – by allowing infidelity
paternity
past females risked – and – by allowing infidelity
resources and stability
in order to combat the risks of infidelity what did males and females evolve?
jealousy
sexual jealousy leads to – and –
vigilance and violence
what is vigilance in terms of sexual jealousy
keeping an eye on you partner, reading their messages, etc.w
what is violence in terms of sexual jealousy
threatening or attacking a partner
true or false: ancestors took part in cutting losses and replacing their mates
true
ring doves are monogamous but will break up in the case of –
infertility
true or false: divorce is not seen in all human cultures
false
when reentering the dating market with kids, – market value suffers the most
females
what adaptation have scorpion flies evolved in order to compete mating?
they learned how to choose a gift of food that takes the female 20 minutes to eat, which is the length of time needed for copulation
what is strategic interference?
when the sexual strategy of one sex conflicts with the strategy adopted by another
true or false: men being less selective and women being more selective for hookups is an example of strategic interference
true
according to Michael Bailey, “sexual orientation is a – – –.”
paradigmatic psychological adaptation
–% to –% men lean heterosexual
96 to 97
–% to –% women lean heterosexual
98 to 99
homosexuality is an evolutionary –
mystery
true or false: there is evidence that homosexuality is partially genetic
true
what is primary sexual orientation?
who one is sexually attracted to: male, female, neither or both
what is gender identity?
one subjectively feels like a male, female, both or neither
what is sexual behavior?
the gender of individuals one actually has sex with
male sexual orientation appears in – –
early development
true or false: male sexual orientation rarely changes
true
male sexual orientation is –
bimodal (hetero or homo, few bisexual)
female sexual orientation is –
flexible over lifespan
true or false: female sexual orientation spectrum is more expansive than males
true
what is “lesbian until graduation”?
female lives college life as a lesbian then marries and man and has a family, or the other way around
why do we humans have a tendency to enjoy fast food (fats, sugar, protein)?
our ancestors needed those foods and they were not in abundance but now are and overeating is unhealthy
what about human mating strategies are unique to humans?
the strategies are vast and sensitive to context
what is the perceptual barrier for humans understanding human sexuality?
humans think in the short term but evolution is long term
what is the ideological barrier to humans understanding human sexuality?
it is used to justify oppression, a political agenda, and sexual superiority
what is the naturalistic fallacy?
whatever exists should exist (this is false)
true or false: the naturalistic fallacy confuses scientific description of human behavior with moral prescription of it
true
what is the romantic fallacy?
idealizes humanity believing that “natural” humans are one with nature and peacefully coexist - culture, capitalism, and war are seen as corruptive
true or false: evolution is an unchangeable blueprint
false
human behavior is a combination of – AND – factors
biological AND environmental (not mutually exclusive)
true or false: evolutionary psychology prescribes what and how humans should be
false
males and females differ in – not –
strategy, ability
what is the overromanticized view of mating?
humans want to ignore the dark side, manipulation, assault, etc. of mating
what is females number one reason for sex?
basic biochemistry of attraction
what are genetic benefits?
high-quality genes that increase offspring’s ability to survive
what are resource benefits?
shelter, physical protection, food, etc.
true or false: female’s reasons for sex are not influenced by their lives, work, or socialization
false
– begins attraction and repeated interactions increase changes of liking
proximity
true or false: once attractive traits in a partner can become annoying
true
what is one of the strongest ingredients of sexual appeal for females in males?
smell
why is scent tied to memory?
olfactory nerves extend in networks through the brain while other senses nerves are less ranged
true or false: female sexual attraction is not enhanced by smell
false
why does smell not matter so much in male’s sexual arousal?
their sense of smell may be worse than females or it gets diluted because of male’s emphasis on females looks
females olfactory acuity peaks during –
ovulation
what is the reason for female’s evolutionary acute sense of smell?
smelling MHCs that are compatible with their own
what chromosome are MHCs on?
chromosome 6
What are MHCs?
the major histocompatibility complex where genes are located that are responsible for immune functioning
in terms of reproduction it is best to have MHC genes that are –
dissimilar
what is the theory as to why females can smell MHCs?
they are attracted to the smell of those that are compatible with their genes to prevent inbreeding and create a strong immune system
this physical manifestation in human bodies is a sign of good health
bilateral symmetry
exposure to male – can increase females fertility
pheromones
what are pheromones?
substances secreted from glands at the anus, underarms, urinary, breasts, mouth
sexual exposure to male pheromones can have what effects according to a study?
regulated menstruation, increased fertile basal body temperature, increased estrogen in the luteal phase, increases sexual attraction to males
why do females prefer taller males?
tend to have higher socioeconomic status and salary, are generally healthier, less likely to be targeted by other men
what body shape is most desired by females in males
strong, muscular, and athletic; the V shape of broad shoulders and tapered hips
what body type in males is seen as the most physically and socially dominant by males and females
high shoulder-to-hip ratio; V-shape
males – the level of muscularity females want
overestimate
production of – during adolescence heavily influences masculine facial features
testosterone
when do males and females enter mate competition?
puberty
why are masculine facial features and muscle mass attractive to females?
they require testosterone which compromises the body’s immune function: only a male with above-average health can afford to produce enough T for those features
true or false: females prefer more masculine males for both short and long-term mating
false (cultural exceptions)
why do females prefer less masculine males for long-term mating?
they are perceived to be “good dads” who will stick around and provide rather than be a risk to mate poachers
what is a dual mating strategy?
choosing some good traits over others between mates to get the best possible outcome of reproduction
if there are 2 mate choices: more masculine mate - healthier, disloyal and a bad father and less masculine mate - not as healthy, loyal, good father, the female is likely to choose the less masculine. Why?
this is a dual mating strategy; she is likely to get more out of a long-term reproduction/mating arrangement with the less masculine mate
in areas of high disease like Jamaica what do females prioritize more and who may have what they look for?
they prioritize health more and therefore are more willing to risk mating with a more masculine male
– faces are preferred in terms of attractiveness
composite
why is there a tendency for favoritism and attraction with attractive people?
we assume they have other good traits (symmetry = health for example)
during puberty how do males voices change?
testosterone triggers the lengthening of vocal chords and the more testosterone the deeper the voice
how much longer are male vocal chords than female ones?
60%
true or false: deep male voices are preferred by females for both short and long-term
true (dramatically favored for short term)
why are female bullfrogs attracted to deep male croaks
it is an indicator of large size and good health
true or false: males with a deep voice are more likely to have a V-shaped body
true
why is a persons ability to walk or dance in a coordinated manner attractive?
it reveals phenotype information such as their age, health, energy levels, etc.
true or false: non-reciprocal same-sex touching is seen as submissive
false
what are the 2 key traits that motivate females to be sexually attracted?
sense of humor and self-confidence
what is GSOH?
good sense of humor
why is a good sense of humor attractive to humans?`
it puts us in a positive mood
why is self-confidence attractive to females?
it is a signal of resources like money or status; you have something to be proud of
why is fame so attractive?
it usually means access to resources and social statues which is attractive
what is mate copying?
females prefer males that other females like as in they are pre-approved
true or false: males found females more attractive when surrounded by other males
false
true or false: females found males more attractive when surrounded by other females
true
what is behind the idea of sexy son genes?
mating with attractive and popular males will increase the chances that the offspring, if male, will be attractive to other females to keep the cycle going
what is the matching hypothesis?
long-term sexual partners generally are similar rather than different
why do people prefer to be with those equal to them in attractiveness?
mate value is generally the same which prevents mate poachers
what is a love map?
humans specific traits they favor or dislike such as blonde hair that are from their good or bad experiences in the past with those traits
who came up with the idea of a love map?
John Money
true or false: female rats have little control over the aspects of sex and mating
false (almost 100% control)
biological sex is determined by what?
the size of sex cells
which sex cells are smaller, mobile, fast and can be replenished?
male
which sex cells are larger, stationary, contain nutrients, and are of a fixed supply?
female
how often do male sperm cells replenish and by how much?
12 million per hour
how many ova do females generally have and how many make it to maturity?
1-2 million ova, 400 mature
how are the mormon cricket and seahorses unique?
in terms of mating their roles are reversed and the females compete for the spermatophore
evolution favored females who were – – when mating
highly selective
when was Charles Darwin’s first book and what was it on?
natural selection in 1859
what are the three hostile forces of nature?
environmental hazards, other species, conspecifics
what are conspecifics?
one’s own species
why do humans have fears of the dark, heights, etc.
they are evolutionary adaptations from our ancestors
historically why did males fight wars or smaller battles?
the risk was less in terms of reproduction and the reward was higher (access to more fertile females)
change over time is –
evolution
what are the three aspects of evolution via natural selection?
variation, inheritance, and differential reproduction
what is differential reproduction?
those containing favorable inherited traits will live to reproductive age
true or false: humans adapt to adjust their behavior to a time horizon
true
what are the 2 problems with natural selection that Darwin admitted?
sexual dimorphism and adaptations contrary to survival
if both sexes face the same survival situations (avoiding danger, eating, etc.) why do they have different adaptations?
they adapt due to situations the others do NOT face such as childbirth or paternity uncertainty
why do species sexes differ in magnetism of differences?
differences in sexual selection determine for example seals fight for harems and therefore need great size in order to compete
often times males are significantly larger than females in order to compete with other males but why do females stay small?
there is not always analogous preferences; females may prefer larger males but males don’t have a preference
what explains sexual dimorphism and adaptations contrary to survival?
sexual selection
what is sexual selection?
evolution via traits for mating success rather than survival
what are the three products of natural and sexual selection?
primary adaptations, byproducts of adaptations, and other noise (mutations, randoms, etc.)
what is an example of a byproduct of an adaptation?
belly buttons
what is the key cause of sex differences?
sexual selection
why must females be more selective in choosing a mate?
she has only a few chances to reproduce due to reproductive biology and it is a large investment for her (9 month minimum)
what is the parental investment theory?
the sex that invests more in the offspring is more selective when choosing a mate and the other sex will have intra-sexual competition for access
what are the causes of fluctuating asymmetry?
genetic deviations and environmental stressors
what does body symmetry reveal about males reproductive biology?
sperm number/ejaculate and sperm speed
what symmetry in females reveals their ability to reproduce?
breasts
what is the organ that detects pheremones?
vomeronasal organ
true or false: individuals who share genes and features will favor each other platonically
true
what is WHR
waist-hip ratio
what is the ideal WHR for men that shows good health?
.9 (low = good)
what personality traits are ranked as most important by both males and females?
kindness and intelligence
women tend to rank what trait as more important than men?
good financial prospects
men rank what trait as more important than women?
good looks
as men’s age increases, they have increasingly – partners
younger
as women’s age increases, they have consistently – partners
same-aged or within 5 years
what is the allure of “bad boys”, “bad girls”, or “bad people”?
they signal confidence, bravery, physicality, and risk taking (affordable to them) - their “danger” can lead to arousal
true or false: lesbians prioritize females attractiveness high like heterosexual men
false
true or false: lesbian women prefer feminine bodies
true
what is excitation transfer?
residual excitement from a previous arousing stimulus or situation may serve to intensify a later emotional state
stimulation of what system intensifies sexual arousal?
sympathetic branch (heart beating, anxiety, etc.)
familiarity breeds what?
likeness
true or false: repeat exposure is unlikely to effect attractiveness to someone or something
false
what are the 5 personality traits people tend to share to have a successful relationship with little conflict?
OCEAN - openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism
what is the most effective tool in shifting mood?
music
the value of potential mates depends on individualized, personalized and contextualized perspective of –
the female doing the choosing
true or false: a female who is an only child will value a male who is willing to assist with childcare more than a female from a large family
true
true or false: all attributes carry the same weight to mates
false
how do male gray shrike birds attract females?
they collect caches of 90-120 valuable items and impale them on thorns; the male with the largest cache wins the females
what are the three pre-conditions required to evolve a female preference for mates with resources?
- resources must’ve been accruable, defensible, and controllable by men (during evolution)
- men have to differ from one another in holding or acquisition skills and willingness to invest in females
- the advantage of committing to one man must be greater than the advantage of several men
what does not count in mating decisions?
constants
what are “cads”?
males who mate with many females and invest very little in each
why is there a greater advantage for human females to be with one male rather than many?
human males invest unprecedented amounts of food, time, teaching, etc. into offspring which many don’t for a casual partner
what is the most direct cue for a female to tell a male has resources?
economic resources (money)
why do women want the MOST eligible bachelor?
because it cues to higher social status and therefor resources
what age are males at their peak physical strength?
late 20s to early 30s
what age are males at their peak of hunting prowess?
30s
in what cases can the female’s desire for an older mate be overridenn?
when the male’s resources or other cues are guaranteed (wealthy or high status family for example)
what are two possible reasons why older women sometimes date younger men?
both older women and young men lack bargaining power in the dating market OR the older woman already has resources and can afford a useless male (rare)
true or false: females who have their own wealth and status generally don’t mind being with males who don’t have any
false; apart from some exceptions, women who have their own wealth and status want a mate equal to or greater than them in those areas
true or false: females mate based on the apparent ability to accrue resources which are informed by personality traits
true
what is industriousness?
putting in extra effort, prioritizing goals, and working hard to impress others
what are ambition and industriousness cues to in a male?
they indicate a male’s ability to accrue resources and receive promotions
from the 37 culture study what were the results of males and females when asked about the value of dependability and stability?
males and females equally valued both or females valued it slightly more
what are stability and dependability cues to in a mate?
ability to accrue resources
from the 37 cultures study what were the results of males and females when asked about the value of intelligence?
males and females valued it equally or females valued it more
what does intelligence cue to in a mate?
ability to accrue resources, good parenting, oral fluency, forcasting danger, etc.
what are some factors to compatibility?
similarities in race, orientation, politics, OCEAN, etc.
for gladiator frogs, the males build the nests and defend the eggs so how do females evaluate mates?
they do the “bump test” where the males stand in front of the nests and are bumped by the females; those who stay and defend the nest and don’t run away pass the test
what are the “special friendships” baboons form?
female baboons allow males sexual access during estrus in exchange for his protection of her and her infants
what does the bright plumage of peacocks show?
health; those with bright colors have few parasites
not all males who are healthy and have resources are willing to commit and share with a female so how do females account for this possibility?
they look for acts of love such as fidelity, emotional support, and discussing future kids
what does kindness signal to a mate?
willingness to invest resources and energy selflessly
why did females evolve to require things like love, kindness, and sincerity before committing or hooking up?
sex is one of the most valuable reproductive resources they have
what is a possible product of incest?
inbreeding depression
how do females avoid incest?
they are physically repulsed by the idea of kissing or sexual activity with their kin
why are females more repulsed by incest than males?
the cost of poor sex decisions is higher for females than males
for the Bakweri people of Cameroon, females have the most power and resources because there are few of them vs males; so what do they look for in males?
they still prefer males with power and resources equal to or higher than their own
true or false: males with resources want females that have the same or more resources than them
false (they are indifferent even if they have few resources)
true or false: men strive to control resources and exclude other men from resources to fulfill the female mating preference
true
what do both heterosexual and homosexual females value in a mate?
health, kindness, industriousness, and sense of humor
what do homosexual females value less than heterosexual females?
fondness for children, parenting ability, and religion
what do homosexual females value more than heterosexual females?
honesty and intelligence
adaptations are (4)?
inherited, reliably developed (not present birth), produced by natural or sexual selection, and solves a specific adaptive problem
what is the formula of adaptations?
input (repeated skin friction) –> decision rules (grow new skin cells?) –> output (calluses reduce skin damage)
true or false: most adaptations are NOT always activated
true; they are often situational
is there an answer to “environmental or biological”?
no, this is a false dichotomy because both are at play at all times
what is the theory about female beauty?
it cues fertility
what is reproductive value vs. fertility?
value is the future reproductive potential but fertility is now
true or false: the theory is that males looking for LT relationships want reproductive value (potential) and those in ST want fertility (now)
true
what are some possible cues to female fertility that are also standards of attractiveness?
full lips, shiny hair, clear skin, clear/large eyes, muscle tone, symmetry, low (.7) WHR
what causes facial feminization in females?
estrogen
what is the correlation of facial femininity and female attractiveness according to males?
+.65 (strong)
what is the correlation between men’s facial masculinity and male attractiveness according to females?
+.35 (weak)
true or false: both males and females seek physical attractiveness (health) but men especially do
true
true or false: males only find a small portion of females attractive
false
true or false: females only find a small portion of males attractive
true
what is the ideal waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) according to males?
.70; no relation to body size or weight
lumbar curvature is useful in sustaining pregnancy, what is the ideal angle according to males?
45 degree angle
what is attractive to males about females with large eyes?
they reflect the large eyes of infancy and indicate youth
true or false: gay men prioritize physical attractiveness in a mate like heterosexual men
true
during ovulation, what peaks in a woman’s body? (2)
estrogen and testosterone
what is a theory as to why humans have concealed ovulation?
it may be a strategy to keep males around until ovulation and possibly lead to pair bonding
what were the results of the t-shirt test done on males?
they rated the female’s sexual attractiveness at the highest mid-cycle (during ovulation)
what are copulins?
scent from fatty acid vaginal secretions which fluctuate across the menstrual cycle
what affect did artificial copulins have on males?
it increases testosterone which leads to loss of ability to think clearly and may increase the attractiveness of females
true or false: males find females voices more attractive around ovulation because the pitch becomes higher
true
true or false: during ovulation female’s breasts become more symmetrical and their WHR decreases slightly
true
true or false: different levels of testosterone account for the higher pitch in the voices of gay men
false
true or false: when there are fewer options, females become more attractive to males
true (don’t the girls get prettier at closing time)
true or false: males prefer the face of females for ST and prefer the body of females for LT
false (opposite)
true or false: females prefer the face of males for both ST and LT
true (it happens 70% of the time and is likely due to increased information that is possible)
why do teenage boys find slightly older women attractive?
according to the evolutionary theory of female beauty they are most attractive to males at peak fertility (19-20s)
what were the results of the attentional adhesion experiment?
men had more difficulty shifting their attention away from attractive women when told to do so
true or false: males find females that are sexually exploitable attractive for ST relationships
true
what are the dark triad traits?
narcissism, machiavellianism, psychopathy
what trait is preferred in cultures with relative food scarcity?
high body weight
true or false: men likely evolved to commit to one woman because it increased his number of possible offspring
false; men evolved likely due to a woman’s desire for a man to commit because otherwise he would suffer on the dating market
besides attracting a desirable mate, what are two other reasons why men evolved to commit to one woman?
it increased the likelihood that all of their offspring would be fathered by the man, and improved the survival and success of the offspring to have parent involved as they grew up
what is the asymmetry between the sexes on the dating market with committed vs. temporary relationships?
males can obtain a much more desirable mate if they are willing to commit (females desire) but females can obtain a much more desirable mate for casual sex (males desire) if she is willing to give up commitment
what are two gains for a man to commit?
increased social status and resources as a married man, and a more expansive network including his partners kin
true or false: women overestimate the thinness that men want in a woman
true; men want average while women believe they want below that
what is the WHR that is healthy for reproductively sound females?
.67 to .80
true or false: a higher WHR mimics pregnancy and is therefore unattractive to males
true
true or false: males seek attractive mates as a signal to others of high status and abundant resources
true (it is not the same for females)
true or false: lesbians and heterosexual women look for the same thing in a partner
false-ish- they differ in the lesbian place LESS emphasis on specific body traits
what cues do men search for as a response to paternal uncertainty?
chastity and loyalty
true or false: standards of beauty are arbitrary
false; they are signs of youth, health, and reproductive value
