The Evolutionary Explanations For Partner Preferences (relation Betweeen Sexual Selection And Reproductve Behaviour) ✅ Flashcards
What is at the heart of the evolutionary process? How can this be achieved?
Reproductive success.
- selecting right mates.
- out competing.
- behaving correctly.
What does the evolutionary explanation for partner preference explain? What is an evolutionary explaination?
Who will be excluded and included in mating.
Sexual and natural selection.
What is sexual selection? What does it include?
How evolution is driven by competition for mates and the development of characteristics that have a reproductive advantage (adaptive) are inherited more and become more frequent.
Focuses on our ability to leave descendants.
Competition within species (women v women + men v men).
What are the favourable partner preferences for men?
- Strong.
- Tall (have better choice of females).
- Broad shoulders.
- Facial hair (shows they are older).
- Older (more able to provide).
What are partner preferences for women?
Hour glass (shows widened hips indicating puberty has started).
What does sexual selection influence and why is it powerful?
Mate selection.
As by successfully reproducing your are able to pass on your genes. (We are a product of this where our ancestors successfully outcompeted or had desirable selectable traits).
What are the 2 types of sexual selection?
- Intrasexual selection.
- Intersexual selection.
What is intra sexual selection?
Refers to strategy used to get “selected”. The winners get to mate with women. Characteristics that made them win are passed down leading to dimorphism. (If men are strong women don’t need to be).
Mate competition between men.
The characteristic that bring success in these contest become more widespread due to its reproductive advantage. (They are more able to find mates and reproduce).
What is inter sexual selection (women’s choice)?
Women evolved preference for desirable traits and will ultimately chose makes w these characteristics.
(This determines what other sex competes on).
What is anisogamy?
The difference in reproduction cells of men and women and therefore reproductive behaviour is different.
What is the runway process? (“Sexy son hypothesis”)
When the preference for desirable characteristics is passed down to daughters. Eg why men av height is taller bc women keep picking taller men.
What are the differences in reproductive behaviour (aka selection and LT preference)?
Women = Choosy (genetic quality impacts offspring) + mating is a high cost. Therfore wont sleep around and chose quality of quantity due to limited ability to reproduce.
Men = have unlimited chances to reproduce so should mate with as many women therfore higher chance of offspring surviving (therfore quantity over quality).
What research supports the differences evolutionary preferences?
David buss=
P = 10k over 37 countries (had to rate characteristics on how important in choosing a mate w a 4 point scale).
M = rated looks and being older higher. (Shows how fertility is important). (Virginity more important in China).
F = Want to be younger + have resources (be able to support) money more important in Indonesia.
What is an evaluation of the evolutionary force in partner preferences?
- cultural traditions may be as important (Bernstein) says how cultural traditions may be cause for differences in gender difference in mate preference rather than evolved characteristics (due to women traditionally not having money or power therfore tend to rely on men). Further supported by bass where Indonesian women put money as higher.
Therfore socio-economic factors should not be under-valued.
What is research support for intersexual selection (women being choosy)? (Ansogamy)
Russel and Elaine:
- showed how females are more choosier than men when it come to mating
- psychology students
- 0% women have a one night stand but 75% men would.
Supporting the volutionary theory suggesting that men want quantity rather than quality.
