evolutionary explanations for partner preference

Question 1

what is sexual selection?

Answer 1

describes how humans have evolved to increase chances of attracting a mate and producing a healthy offspring. characteristics that increase chances of reproduction may be passed on down generations. it occurs via intersexual selection and intrasexual competition.

Question 2

define anisogamy

Answer 2

the differences between male and female sex cells. men produce sperm in large amounts continuously, while women have a finite supply of eggs, one of which is released every month. this gives rise to two types of sexual selection. women invest more so are more ‘choosy’ with their mate, men invest less and purely want to pass on their genes.

Question 3

buss (1989) - differences in mating strategies

Answer 3

surveyed over 10,000 adults in 33 countries and found that women prefer men with resource characteristics and men prefer women who are young and able to reproduce

Question 4

buss (1995)

Answer 4

suggested men are more jealous of sexual infidelity as this may lead to them raising another mans child. whereas women are more jealous of emotional fidelity in case the man withdraws his resources which are needed for the child’s survival

Question 5

inter sexual selection

Answer 5

‘female choice’. based on the idea that women invest more time, energy and resources when reproducing, so they have to be more selective on who they choose and ensure their partner is the right genetic fit. this is the ‘quality over quantity’ approach

Question 6

clark and hatfield (1989) - female choosiness

Answer 6

male and female student volunteers approached opposite sex students and said “i’ve noticed you around campus. i find you attractive” and then asked either “will you go on a date/ come back to my apartment/ go to bed with me?” 50 % of everyone said yes to the date. 69% of men and 6% of women said yes to the apartment. 75% of men and no women said yes to the bed.

Question 7

intra sexual selection

Answer 7

preferred male strategy, referring to evolutionary developed features that allow men to compete over a female mate, and whoever wins will reproduce and pass on the genes that helped him succeed. anisogamy suggest ‘quantity over quality’ as a mans mating strategy, he will mate with as many women as possible to ensure his genes are passed on

Question 8

physical dimorphism

Answer 8

differences in body type and physical appearance between men and women due to intra sexual selection. sexual selection favours strong and aggressive men as they must fight with other men for a female mate. women however don’t need to fight for a mate so there’s no evolutionary advantage to women being stronger or larger

Question 9

research support - singh (1993, 2002)

Answer 9

studied hip to waist ratios as a sign of female fertility over a decade in miss america winners. she found men like any sizes as long as the waist to hip ration was 0.7, as they unconsciously interpreted this as them being fertile but not currently pregnant

Question 10

research support - waynforth and dunbar (1995)

Answer 10

researched the lonely hearts columns in american newspapers and found women advertised their youthfulness and attractiveness, whereas men advertised their intelligence and resources

Question 11

give a strength of evolutionary explanations

Answer 11

research support - buss (1989/1995), clark and hatfield (1989), singh (1993, 2002), waynforth and dunbar (1995)

Question 12

give a limitation of evolutionary explanations

Answer 12

ignores social and cultural changes in western societies. kasser and sharma (1999) analysed 37 countries and found in places where women had little access to education and jobs they valued resources, but in more western modern societies women favour traits like honour and thoughtfulness. so evolutionary explanations are limited and ignore other factors

Question 13

give a limitation of evolutionary explanations

Answer 13

mate choice may be more complicated. penton-voak et al (1999) said female mate preference changes during the menstrual cycle. when fertile women preferred a partner with masculine features, but preferred feminine features as a long term mate. may be as masculine features represent health while feminine features represent kindness and parental cooperation

Question 14

give a limitation of evolutionary explanations

Answer 14

evolutionary reductionism by arguing mate selection is due to genetic inheritance. however in real life, individual differences play a huge role. for example, evolutionary explanations don’t account for homosexual relationships where partner choice doesn’t lead to reproductive success to has no evolutionary advantage.

Question 15

give a limitation of evolutionary explanations

Answer 15

alpha bias by emphasising differences in what men and women want in a partner. we can argue that men and women do look for similar traits such as kindness and loyalty which aren’t reported in research.