Sexual Selection Flashcards
Research supporting sexual selection
-Evidence that reveals gender differences in human reproductive behaviour suggested by sexual selection is provided by Clark & Hatfield (1989).
-found when an m or f stooge approached an opposite sex stranger with an invitation to go to bed with them that night 75% of men agreed immediately to the request, however none of the women did.
-This indicates even in a society where a female can access
her own resources, and contraception allows for sexual permissiveness, females remain
choosy and males are considerably less selective showing human reproductive behaviour is still driven by instinctive evolutionary pressures.
Nurture factors in human reproductive behaviour are overlooked
-could be argued that
gender differences in partner preferences are not only due to sexual selection pressures
(nature) but actually stem from socialisation and culture (nurture). e.g. Kasser & Sharma (1999) found that women in cultures where their status and educational opportunities were low, valued resources in a potential mate; whereas women with greater
educational and financial freedoms were less likely to seek resources in a mate which refutes the inter-sexual selection idea that women are attracted to men who can provide for their offspring. Chang et al. found in 25-yr study on partner preferences in China that some preferences have changed while others have remained.
- rapid change in human reproductive behaviour is better explained by changes in culture rather than through evolved
mechanisms which are relatively slow. Ultimately, human reproductive behaviour is
complex mixture of sexually selective pressures and cultural influences.
Mixed mating strategies during the menstrual cycle
Evidence to suggest mate preference varies across the menstrual cycle comes from Little & Roberts who found that ovulating women indicated an attraction to a more masculine face, but preferred a feminised version of a male face the rest of the time.
-This suggests sexual selection may favour females who
pursue a mixed mating strategy. -This is because a female might choose a main partner whose
feminised appearance suggests kindness and parental care, but might also copulate with a
more masculine faced male (indicating testosterone and strong immune system) when she is
most likely to get pregnant.
-The use of mixed mating strategies indicates inter-sexual selection is more complex than originally believed.
