The Relationship Between Sexual Selection And Human Reproductive Behaviour

Question 0

AO2/AO3

Answer 0

. Logical to be choosy - increase chances of passing on genes, costs of mate choice can impair survival else
. Buss 1999, study of 37 cultures
FEMALE MATE PREFERENCES - financial resources x2 > important (improved reproductive success), social status (material resources were important),older men 3.5+ (greater resources),athletic mates (better hunters), symmetrical faces (< mutations! better investment)
MALE MATE PREFERENCES - younger 2.5 < (fertility), healthy skin etc (good genes), WHR (fertility)
UNIVERSAL PREFERENCES INNATE/BIOLOGICAL NOT SOCIALISED
^ Demand characteristics, social desirability bias, methodology differences, ecological validity, heterosexuals.
. Can’t explain homosexuality
. Speculative
. Reductionist - ignores social, emotional factors
. Determinist - Thornhill and Thornhill 1992 explains rape, driven to alternative strategy if unable to mate
. Cultural bias - rural areas/less well educated individuals underrepresented
. Clarke and Hatfield (Florida uni, would you have sex with stranger tonight 0/75% ST dating suits males) GENDER BIAS - also gets females out of relationships

Question 1

The nature of sexual selection AO1

Answer 1

. Sexual selection takes place through 2 processes:
INTRASEXUAL SELECTION (favours individuals possessing features that help them compete with members of the same sex for access to mates, meaning they pass their genes on) and INTERSEXUAL SELECTION (favours individuals possessing features that make them more attractive to the opposite sex)
. ANISOGAMY/GAMETES (females - 1 large egg, males - many small mobile short lived sperm) means males compete, females choose.
. SHORT TERM MATING PREFERENCES - males > early, casual sex
. LONG TERM MATING PREFERENCES - both sexes = high level of choosiness - avoid wasting resources, ensure investment will be suitable, but different preferences - fertility/resources, neotonus features, jawline etc SEE BUSS STUDY