Sexual Selection

Question 1

Which theory is sexual selection based on?

Answer 1

Evolutionary

Question 2

What did Darwin say?

Answer 2

Animals have evolved through sexual selection to reproduce more effectively

Question 3

What has evolution influenced?

Answer 3

How organisms choose a mate and mating strategies

Question 4

What does intersexual selection refer to?

Answer 4

Mate choice. Both sexes have evolved to prefer certain traits

Question 5

What does intrasexual selection refer to?

Answer 5

Mate competition. Those more adapt will have evolved qualities that benefit them when competing

Question 6

What is anisogamy?

Answer 6

Where different sexes produce different sized gametes

Question 7

How is anisogamy beneficial?

Answer 7

Gametes have evolved to increase the success of offspring

Question 8

Why has an increase in brain size lead to an increase in parental investment?

Answer 8

Because babies are born sooner and so need to be looked after for longer

Question 9

Males run the risk of cuckoldry and so ……….. have evolved

Answer 9

Gender specific mating strategies

Question 10

What is sexual dimorphism?

Answer 10

The evolved differences in physical characteristics

Question 11

Mating strategies have led females to seek…

Answer 11

Resources to reduce the burden of energy

Question 12

Mating strategies have led males to seek

Answer 12

Status and wealth to increase their reproductive attractiveness

Question 13

Why do women prefer masculine features such as a square jaw?

Answer 13

It indicates good genes, and specifically a strong immune system

Question 14

Why do makes prefer child-like faces?

Answer 14

It reflect youth: a sign of fertility

Question 15

What does Buss’ research show?

Answer 15

Gender differences exist in modern relationships

Question 16

What did Buss find?

Answer 16

Women preferred status

Men preferred youth

Question 17

Buss’ research looks at 36/37 cultures which shows it…

Answer 17

Represents cultural universals

Question 18

Why is Buss’ research reductionalist?

Answer 18

It doesn’t consider social and cultural influences

Question 19

Why is Buss’ research deterministic?

Answer 19

It suggests our behaviour is fixed?

Question 20

What did Richard Dawkins say?

Answer 20

Free will can override biology and we can make our own choices

Question 21

What does Buss’ study fail to address?

Answer 21

How preferences have evolved when arranged marriages date back to our ancestors

Question 22

Who conducted the Lonely Hearts Column study?

Answer 22

Wayneforth and Dunbar

Question 23

What did Wayneforth and Dunbar find about males?

Answer 23

43% sought a youth

44% sought attractiveness

Tended to advertise resources

Question 24

What did Wayneforth and Dunbar find about females?

Answer 24

25% sought youth

22% sought attractiveness

Tended to advertise appearance

Question 25

What’s a limitation of Wayneforth and Dunbar’s study?

Answer 25

It’s a biased sample as only a small percentage of people look for love in this way

Question 26

What may lead a females mate choice to vary?

Answer 26

Menstrual cycle

Question 27

What did Penton-Voack et al find?

Answer 27

Women preferred feminine males for long term relationships but masculine males during the conception phase of her cycle

Question 28

How does Penton-Voack’s findings support the sexual selection theory?

Answer 28

It shows how women are tuned to prefer males who indicate high levels of testosterone during the most fertile time of her menstrual cycle

Question 29

Penton-Voack’s findings show some gender bias in the theory. How?

Answer 29

The theory reports how men benefit from having multiple sexual partners, yet this research shows how women can actually benefit from being polygamous