Evolutionary Explanations for Partner Preference

Question 1

Outline Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
- sexual selection

Answer 1

Modern-day humans behave in ways that successfully enabled our ancestors to select the right mate, reproduce and raise children.

Sexual selection = evolution of characteristics which enable reproductive success (characteristics that are attractive to the opposite sex and enable us to successfully reproduce) rather than survival success (natural selection).

Question 2

Outline Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
- intersexual selection

Answer 2

A key factor that determines human reproductive behaviour is anisogamy.

Anisogamy = differences between male and female sex cells (gametes).

Males gametes (sperm): small, produced in vast quantities over the male’s life, dont require much energy to produce.

Female gametes (eggs or ova): relatively large, produced at intervals for a limited period of time, require a great deal of energy.

Anisogamy means there is never a shortage of fertile males but a fertile female is a ‘resource’.

So, there are differences in preferences of one sex for the opposite sex (inter-sexual selection)

Question 3

Outline Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
- male mate preference strategies

Answer 3

minimal energy required for males to reproduce, lack of reproductive consequences -> optimum strategy is to compete with other males to reproduce with as many fertile females as possible.

Aka intra-sexual selection: members of one sex (usually males) compete with each other for access to members of the other sex.

Dominant male able to mate -> pass on their successful characteristics (e.g. being taller and stronger).

Males attracted to young females (more likely to be fertile), women with an hourglass figure (inherent sign of fertility than happens at puberty)

Question 4

Outline Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
- female mate preferences

Answer 4

commitment needed to invest in offspring before/during/after birth and more serious consequences of choosing wrong mate -> more ‘choosy’

eg, only males with characteristics that enable them to provide resources and protect her and her offspring

Strength (instinctively protect her/offspring), successful or wealthy (ability to provide food and shelter)

Question 5

Outline Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
- female mate preferences/ sexy son hypothesis

Answer 5

Female preference for a fit male determines the features passed on to offspring.

Eg, height considered an attractive trait -> over successive generations of females, height increase in the male population because females would mate with tall males and, over time, produce taller sons and daughters who have a preference for taller males.

Fisher: ‘sexy sons’ hypothesis’ - a female mates with a male who has a desirable characteristic, and this ‘sexy’ trait is inherited by her son.

Increases likelihood that successive generations of females will mate with her offspring.

Question 6

Outline Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
- culture

Answer 6

If partner preferences do develop through evolution in this way, should expect sex differences in reproductive attitudes and behaviour to be consistent across different cultures as they should have become more widespread in the gene pool through successive generations, regardless of cultural learning.

Question 7

Evaluate Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
STRENGTHS

Answer 7

P) Support for intrasexual competition between males from Buss (1988)
E) women/men asked how often their closest friend bragged about resources (e.g. how much money they earn) or displayed expensive possessions (e.g. cars) in trying to attract a partner in the past 3 months
E) men were significantly more likely to have behaved in this way than women
L) men compete with each other to attract a female partner by demonstrating they can provide more resources than the competition

P) Support for intersexual selection from Clark and Hatfield (1989)
E) male/female psychology students approached other students on campus and asked ‘Would you go to bed with me tonight?’
E) no female agreed, 75% of males did, immediately
L) males evolved mating strategy to ensure maximum reproductive success, women are more choosy
E) BUT, may be due to social labelling of negative female sexual activity

P) support that mate preferences are
consistent across cultures comes from Buss (1989).
E) asked 10,000 people from 37 cultures across the world about mate preferences, found a number of common patterns.
E) male preference for younger and physically attractive female partners (signals of reproductive capability), women preferred ‘good financial prospects’ or ambition (resource-related characteristics).
L) universal, so reproductive behaviour is evolutionary, not learned though our culture
E) dated, lacks temporal validity

Question 8

Evaluate Evolutionary explanation for partner preference
LIMITATIONS

Answer 8

P) presumes heterosexuality and that all relationships are sexual.
E) assumes all relationships are motivated by the desire to reproduce
E) oversimplified, cannot explain all types of relationships, eg long-distance romantic relationship or couples who choose not to have children
L) limited, doubt validity

P) ignore rapidly changing social norms
E) Women do not need men to provide for them like they once did: greater role in the workplace, in Western cultures have greater financial security.
E) Bereczkei et al (1997): social change has consequences for mate preferences: no longer resource-orientated.
L) reductionist/limited: partner preferences = combination of cultural and evolutionary influences