Relationships: Evolutionary Explanations for Partner Preferences Flashcards
What is meant by sexual selection?
People choose partners to maximise reproductive success
What is the term for when people selectively choose their partners to maximise their reproductive success?
Sexual Selection
Who proposed the idea of sexual selection?
Charles Darwin
What do we use sexual selection to explain?
Partner preference
What is a sign of genetic fitness?
Physical characteristics i.e. large muscles
How do physical characteristics lead to reproductive success?
They are passed down through generations to offspring
If Females favour muscular men, How would the evoluntionary approach explain this?
The more muscular a man is, the more likely they are to be chosen as a partner, therefore the gene for muscular features will be passed down
What emotional characteristics can lead to reproductive success?
aggression/ aggressiveness
How is aggressiveness an adaptive trait that ensures reproductive success?
it provided an advantage over others when in competition for reproductive rights
If aggression is adaptive, how would the evolutionary approach explain its use in relationships
The more aggressive a man is, the more likely they are to be chosen as a partner, therefore the gene for aggression will be passed down
What is meant by Anisogamy?
the differences between male and female sex cells (Gametes)
What are male gametes?
sperm
What are female gametes
eggs/ova
What is a gamete?
cells that enable reproduction
