Sexual Selection And Reproductive Behaviour Flashcards
What do men look for in a mating partner and why
Youth- women have limited fertility younger woman has greater capacity to have children aim for men to have as many offspring as poss
Physical attractiveness- associated with youth and also body symmetry and waist to hip ratio
What is sexual selection
The process by which certain characteristics are viewed as attractive and therefore selected in a mating partner
What do females look for in a mating partner
Resources- increases survival chance of mother and her offspring
Ambition/industriousness- more attractive as associated with financial success. An ambitious make more likely to provide resources
What are the two differences in reproductive behaviour that can be explained by evolution
Men tend to engage in more casual sex
Female jealousy governed by fear of emotional infidelity and males by sexual infidelity
Researchers for sexual selection and repro behaviour
Buss
Davis
Cartwright
Why did buss do
37cultures
6continents
10000 ppts of diff ethnic economic and religious groups
Used postal questionnaires and face to face interviews
All women preferred men with resources
Found men universally put more emphasis on physical attractiveness
Men prefer partner younger than them
Kindness and intelligence is universally desired
What did Davis do
Content analysis
Looked at advertisements in local adverts
Found men look for youth and attractiveness whilst promoting ambition and resources
And women look for resources and ambition whilst advertising youth and attractiveness
What did Cartwright do
Found that women with symmetrical breasts are more fertile than those with asymmetrical breasts
Evaluation
Too simplistic Supporting research Dated Overemphasises gender diffs Cannot explain homosexuality or couples with. I children Can explain trends in dating ads
