The Evolutionary Explanations for Partner Preferences Flashcards
What are the 3 types of Gender Differences?
- Gender differences in physical attraction.
- Gender differences in partner selection.
- Gender differences in reproductive behaviours.
Gender differences in physical attraction
- Differences between genders have been identified regarding what is considered to be physically attractive.
- Facial features and body shape preferences have been found to differ between genders.
- However, considerable agreement within and between cultures have also been identified, suggesting that these gender differences are biological.
Singh (1993)
Singh (1993) found that across cultures, a specific ‘waist-to-hip’ ratio (WHR) is found attractive by men and women. A WHR of 0.7, also referred to as the hour-glass shape is considered to be attractive in women as it is associated with youthfulness and fertility. Meanwhile, a WHR of 0.9 is found attractive in men, which is the wide shoulder and narrow waist shape, as it is associated with health.
Gender differences in partner selection
- When selecting long-term partners, both genders also differ in their preferences. While males continue to value youth and attractiveness, females prioritise financial status and security.
Buss (1990)
Buss (1990) carried out a major questionnaire study involving 10,000 participants from 37 different cultures. They found evidence that women rank things like good financial prospects and ambition higher as attractive qualities in a partner than do males, whilst males rate physical attractiveness as more important than do females. Also, males were generally found to prefer younger females, and females older men.
Gender differences in reproductive behaviours
- As well as gender differences in partner preference, differences in reproductive behaviour between men and women have been identified:
- Casual sex - men tend to have more short-term relationships and one night stands.
- Number of sexual partners - men tend to seek a greater number of sexual partners.
- Jealousy - both genders experience jealousy but for different reasons. Males tend to be more jealous of their partner’s sexual infidelity, because this could result in raising someone else’s child; females, on the other hand, are more jealous of their partner’s emotional infidelity, as this may result in withdrawing resources from the female and the child and puts the child’s survival at risk.
- Sexual fantasies and dreams - men tend to have more sexual dreams than women.
Clark and Hatfield (1990)
Clark and Hatfield (1990) found that when being propositioned by strangers of the opposite sex, 50% of both men and women agreed to go out that night but no women agreed to have sex while 75% of the men did.
Why do these gender differences exist?
The evolutionary perspective on relationships argues that human reproductive behaviours have their origins in the evolutionary past, and exist because they conveyed survival or reproductive advantages to our distant ancestors. This perspective draws from the ideas of Charles Darwin on natural selection and sexual selection.
Natural selection
- The term ‘natural selection’ was first used by Charles Darwin in his book titled ‘On the Origin of Species’, which presented his unique views on evolution.
- The mechanism of natural selection derives from the concepts of survival of the fittest and differential reproduction.
- The concept of survival of the fittest states that the organisms best adapted to their environment are those that are most likely to survive.
- The concept of differential reproduction is a consequence of survival of the fittest. It is the idea that the organisms best adapted to a given environment will be most likely to survive to reproductive age and have offspring of their own who would inherit the same survival characteristics.
Sexual selection
- Sexual selection is a variant of natural selection.
- It involves the competition of one gender for the preference of favour of another.
- Ultimately, the goal of such competition is ‘successful reproduction’ with the selected mate.
- The competition is often in the form of attractive appearance, beneficial habits, or reproductive behaviour.
- Darwin’s Theory of Sexual Selection explains the evolution of characteristics that confer a reproductive advantage as opposed to a survival advantage.
- Favoured male characteristics that are, to some degree, inherited will then be represented more frequently in subsequent generations.
- As a result of different reproductive systems, there are two types of sexual selection:
- Inter-sexual selection
- Intra-sexual selection
Inter-sexual selection
- This is the preferred strategy of the female - quality over quantity.
- The ova (eggs) that a female produces are rarer than sperm and require greater energy to produce. In addition, the female makes a greater investment of time, commitment and other resources, before, during and after the birth of her offspring.
- Therefore the females’ optimum mating strategy is to select a genetically fit partner who is able and willing to provide resources.
- This leaves the males competing for the opportunity to mate with the fertile female.
- It is the female preference for a fit male which determines which features are then passed on to the offspring.
- For example, if height is considered an attractive trait, then over successive generations of females, it would increase in the male population because females would mate with tall males and, over time, produce sons who are taller with each generation.
Intra-sexual selection
Strength
(Refer to the studies mentioned above)
Strength
Weakness
Weakness
