Evolutionary Explanations for Partner Preferences

Question 1

What is meant by natural selection?

Answer 1

The natural process whereby the best adapted individuals survive longer, have more offspring and thereby spread their characteristics.

Question 2

What is adaptation?

Answer 2

The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment

Question 3

What is reproductive success?

Answer 3

The passing of genes onto the next generation in a way that they too can pass those genes on

Question 4

What is sexual selection?

Answer 4

It refers to the competition for mates between member of the same sex, which has a significant impact on the evolution of certain physical and psychological traits, such as greater height, certain facial and bodily features

Question 5

What is the background to sexual selection?

Answer 5

Explains why some characteristics might appear disadvantageous in terms of survival, but actually give an advantage in human reproductive behaviour because the characteristics are attractive to potential mates. Darwin studied peacocks who have heavy tails and bright colors.

Question 6

What is inter-sexual selection?

Answer 6

Strategy of females. Ova are rarer than sperm and require a greater energy to produce. Females make greater investment of time, commitment and resources before, during, and after the death of their offspring. Females will be fussy when choosing a partner who can offer resources. This will increase reproductive success, as there is a greater chance for offspring survival due to resource availability. This could be translated into money and status, and men with ambition.

Question 7

What is intra-sexual selection?

Answer 7

Strategy of males. Refers to the competition between males to be able to mate with a female. The winner gets to pass on his characteristics to his offspring. This has given rise to dimorphism in humans as size matters for men but not for women.

Question 8

What hip to waist ratio is most attractive?

Answer 8

0.70 as it suggests that a woman is more fertile and better suited for bearing children.

Question 9

What are the male mating strategies?

Answer 9

Courtship rituals
Size
Sperm competition
Mae guarding
Sneak copulation

Question 10

What are courtship rituals?

Answer 10

Allows showing off of genetic potential and resources

Question 11

What is size?

Answer 11

Bigger body sizes demonstrate physical strength and an ability to protect partner and offspring from threats

Question 12

What is sperm competition?

Answer 12

Men have evolved to have bigger testicles and faster swimming sperm

Question 13

What is mate guarding?

Answer 13

Keeping a close eye on partners to prevent unfaithfulness - it involves discouraging the current mate from abandoning the relationship whilst warding off intrasexual rivals

Question 14

What is sneak copulation?

Answer 14

Being unfaithful - this gives males a chance to gain access to mates and increase their reproductive success without the costs associated with aggressive interaction

Question 15

What are the female mating strategies?

Answer 15

Handicap hypothesis
Sexy sons hypothesis
Courtship

Question 16

What is the handicap hypothesis?

Answer 16

Some women may pick men with a costly characteristic as it shows an ability to thrive despite adversities. May explain why some women are attracted to men who take drugs and drink a lot.

Question 17

What is the sexy sons hypothesis?

Answer 17

Females select males they deem physically attractive as they are likely to pass this trait onto their children, increasing the offspring’s chance of reproducing too

Question 18

What is courtship?

Answer 18

Dating is an important strategy for females to establish a man’s worth to produce offspring and support them.

Question 19

What is anisogamy?

Answer 19

Difference between male and female sex cells dictate how we find mates. Men produce 100 million sperm in a single ejaculation so it does not cost too much. Women only have a limited number of eggs so the fertility period is a very specific window.

Question 20

What is the male trade off?

Answer 20

A man can enhance his fitness by investing in his children or maximising his number of mates, but it is difficult to do both. Cads - low investment males seeking to maximise their mating opportunities. Dads - high investment males committed to one partner.

Question 21

Physical attractiveness?

Answer 21

For men - younger women signal fertility and health. A younger woman will also have more time to look after the offspring. This could explain why the majority of men are older than their female partners.
For women - women are attracted to men with more resources, someone who can provide for the family. Kindness is also attractive, as it suggests a tendency to share resources.

Question 22

EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATION - Research support?

Answer 22

Clark and Hatfield sent male and female psychology students across a university campus. They asked individual students ‘I have been noticing you around campus. I find you to be very attractive. Would you go to bed with me tonight?’. Not a single female agreed to the request whereas 75% of males did immediately.

Question 23

EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATION - Research support 2?

Answer 23

Buss carried out a survey of over 10,000 adults in 33 countries. He found that female respondents placed a greater value on resource related characteristics, such as financial prospects, ambition and industriousness. Males valued reproductive capacity in terms of good looks and chastity, and preferred younger mates more than women did.
However this relies on self report

Question 24

EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATION - Limited explanation?

Answer 24

Partner preference has been influence by rapidly changing norms that develop faster than evolutionary timescales imply. Women’s greater role in the workplace means that they are no longer dependent on men to provide for them. Bereczkei argues that women’s preferences are no longer resource based.

Question 25

EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATION - Limited explanatory power?

Answer 25

Does not explain long distance relationships, relationships in non-western cultures, same sex relationships or couples who do not want children.