Sexual Selection and Human Reproductive Behaviour

Question 1

this gotta b interesting

Answer 1

fuckin finally

Question 2

What is evolutionary psychology

Answer 2

Explains behaviour in terms of its function and adaptiveness
Extent to which the behaviour enhances the survival and reproduction of the individual’s genes

Question 3

What is natural selection

Answer 3

idc i hope it kills me soon
nah jk how else r we supposed to make controlled

Gradual process by which nature selects the forms most fit to survive and reproduce in a given environment
The individuals with characteristics that are most suited to the environment are more likely to survive and reproduce
Genes that allowed the individuals to be successful are passed onto the offspring in the next generation
We have evolved adaptive behaviours that ensure our survival

Question 4

What is sexual selection

Answer 4

Some individuals possess characteristics which do not immediately appear to be beneficial to their survival
Argues that if a characteristics increases the chances of reproduction then the characteristics will be adaptive because the animal will have more offspring
Is the selection of characteristics that increase mating success

Question 5

What is anisogamy

Answer 5

Humans are anisogamous
Meaning produce gametes of different sizes

Question 6

What is sperm

Answer 6

yummy
nah
Mobile

Question 7

What is inter-sexual selection

Answer 7

Preferred choice of females
Where one sex chooses traits they desire in the other sex (e.g. think birds of paradise)
Selection is between the sexes
Quality strategy (selective)

Question 8

What does inter-sexual selection determiine

Answer 8

Areas in which the other sex must complete
Peacocks = plumage
Humans = economic resources, genetic fitness
These indicators reveal traits that could be passed on to offspring (i.e. selection for ‘good genes’), as well as info about chances of the mate being able to give protection and support to offspring(i.e. selection for ‘good parents’
Human beings are perceptually ‘pre-programmed’ to attend to displays of these important indicators, which in turn increases their willingness to mate with the individual who possesses them

Question 8

What is intra-sexual selection

Answer 8

Usually males
Competition between members of same sex
Selection is within each sex
Quantity strategy (indiscriminate)

Question 9

Describe Fisher’s (1930) sexy sons hypothesis

Answer 9

Woman chooses a man because he has a characteristic she wants (e.g. tall male)
Any male children will inherit this characteristic and will be more desirable to women
Over generations the characteristic becomes more pronounced (the runaway process)
This only stops when the trait becomes too costly or female preference changes

Question 10

What is Zahavi’s (1975) handicap hypothesis

Answer 10

Woman chooses a man with handicaps because it advertises his ability to thrive despite handicaps, demonstrating genetic superiority
e.g. females finding males attractive who drink or take drugs in large amounts - demonstrates an ability to handle toxins, a sign of genetic fitness

Question 11

What is sexual dismorphism a result of

Answer 11

Mate competition

Question 12

What is sexual dimorphism

Answer 12

Winners get to mate and pass on their genes
Whatever traits lead to success in these same-sex contests will be passed on to the next generation
Sexual dismorphism concerns the different characteristics that males and fe,ales possess
Males on average 12-15% larger than females
Also includes secondary sexual characteristics
-Males>deeper voice, facial hair
-Females>breasts, hips, smoother skin
These features increase the chances of survival into adulthood and sexual maturity, where genes are passed to the next generation

Question 13

What is sperm competition

Answer 13

Physically size matters for men
as it does for women
Behaviourally - aggression could work
Compete by producing larger testicles, bigger ejaculations and faster-swimming sperm

Question 14

What is sneak copulation

Answer 14

Males mate with females other than their partners if given the opportunity as it increases their chances of reproductive success
Women gain from this by having a wider genetic diversity to their children, increasing survival chances
Women can also gain by being in a relationship with a resource-rich male, while copulating with a genetically fit stud

Question 15

What did Cartwright (2000) say about symmetrical faces

Answer 15

M+W prefer it
Symmetry = reproductive fitness
Also found women with symmetrical breasts are more fertile
And women with symmetrical male partners have the most orgasms

Question 16

What does Cartwright’s study support

Answer 16

Concept that physical attractiveness is driven by increased ability to reproduce

Question 17

What is Buss’ 1989 What do women want? study suggests

Answer 17

Conducted large cross-cultural study into human mating preferences
10k people, 37 cultures (33 countries)
Found consistent sex differences
e.g.
M = younger than them, chastity, healthy, good waist to hip ratio
W = good financial provider, ambition and industriousness, tall and strong, older than them, symmetrical face and body

Question 18

How is sexual selection (evolutionary theory) oversimplified
-ve evaluation

Answer 18

Evolutionary explanation presumes heterosexuality and that all relationships are sexual
Cannot explain couples choosing not to have children, as it assumes all relationships are motivated by a desire to reproduce

Question 19

What is a +ve evaluation for inter-sexual selection

Answer 19

Clark and Hatfield 1989
Attraction M+F psychology students (confederates) approached opposite sex strangers on a uni campus and asked one of 3 qs
“Would you go out with me tonight?” (50% men, 50% women)
“Would you come over to my apartment tonight?” (69% men, 6% women)
“Would you go to bed with me tonight?” (75% men, 0% women)
Suggests women mate wisely whilst men mate widely

Question 20

What is a +ve evaluation involving ‘curves in the right places’

Answer 20

Singh (1993 and 2002)
Singh identified waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) as a universally major determinant of attractiveness
Used data from past 50 yrs of beauty content winners and Playboy centrefolds
Small waist and full hips consistent feature
Breast size, overall body weight and physiques varied over time
Optimum WHR = 9.7 (associated with fertility)

Question 21

What is a +ve evaluation with ‘ovulating lap dancers’

Answer 21

Muller et al (2007)
Most female mammals display oestrus to alert males to receptivity
In humans, oestrus is hidden. Or is it…?
Compared earnings of lap dancers menstruating naturally with those on the pill
During non-fertile periods, both sets of dancers earned similar tips
But when dancers not on the pill entered fertile phase, they earned significantly more tips than pill taking dancers

Question 22

What is the Waynforth and Dunbar 1995 study

Answer 22

Lonely Hearts
Newspaper ads
+ve research
Content analysis of personal ads in 4 newspapers
470 male, 402 female ads

Question 23

Waynforth and Dunbar 1995 results

Answer 23

Men =
Indications of material wealth 1.7 times more than women
Men aged 40-49 most likely to express preference for female fecundity (ability to produce young in great numbers)
Women =
Twice as likely as males to advertise their physical attractiveness (curvy, exciting)
Demanded wealth in a partner 4.5 more times than men
Mentioned ‘youth’ more

Question 24

What is the Campos et al. 2002 ‘Choosy Old Men’ study

Answer 24

Also studied personal ads
As women aged, they became less demanding
Whereas men became more demanding, with age

Question 25

What is a -ve evaluation regarding how the explanation ignores social and cultural influences

Answer 25

Partner preferences over past century have been influenced by rapidly changing social norms of sexual behaviour
Evolutionary timescales are not as quick as cultural factors such as availability of contraception

Question 26

What is a study that supports cultural differences

Answer 26

Bereczkei et al 1997
Women in workplace do not depend on men
No longer resource-orientated
Chang et al 2011
Compared partner preference in China over 25 yrs