Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

Question 1

What does Darwin’s evolutionary theory state?

Answer 1

Partner preference is driven by sexual selection which means males and females choose their partners to maximise reproductive success

Question 2

What is partner preference driven by?

Answer 2

Sexual Selection

Question 3

What is sexual selection

Answer 3

Males and Female choose their partners to maximise reproductive success

Question 4

Define anisogamy

Answer 4

The differences in male and female sex cells

Question 5

Males and females are said to have different partner preferences and human reproductive behavior due to …

Answer 5

Anisogamy

Question 6

Male gametes are…

Answer 6

Created in vast numbers, small, mobile and don’t require a lot of energy to produce and are continuously created

Question 7

Female gametes are…

Answer 7

Relatively large, produced once a month for a limited number of fertile years and require a significant amount of energy

Question 8

Define inter sexual selection

Answer 8

Between the sexes- strategies that males use to select females OR females use to select males

Question 9

What is INTER sexual

Answer 9

Between the sexes

Question 10

Define intra Sexual Selection

Answer 10

Within each sex- such as strategies between males to be the one selected by the female

Question 11

What is INTRA sexual

Answer 11

Within each sex

Question 12

What can males not be sure of?

Answer 12

Paternity

Question 13

How long do males remain fertile for?

Answer 13

Throughout their lives

Question 14

How much do males invest biologically compared to females?

Answer 14

Males invest less biologically compared to females

Question 15

What kind of mating strategies do males prefer?

Answer 15

Short term mating strategies with multiple females

Question 16

Males are more likely to be…

Answer 16

Promiscuous

Question 17

What kind of females do males seek?

Answer 17

Young, attractive, fertile females

Question 18

Why do males seek high quality females?

Answer 18

To ensure offspring has greater survival chances

Question 19

Who are males in competition with and why?

Answer 19

Males are in competition with other males to access high quality females

Question 20

What may males show towards other males

Answer 20

Physical aggression

Question 21

How much do females invest biologically compared to males?

Answer 21

Females invest more biologically than males

Question 22

How long are females’ fertile for?

Answer 22

An average of 30 years

Question 23

What can females be sure of?

Answer 23

Maternity

Question 24

Females are more likely to engage in?

Answer 24

Long-term mating

Question 25

Females are more .............. when looking for a mate

Answer 25

Choosy

Question 26

Why are females more choosy when looking for a mate?

Answer 26

To ensure offspring has greater survival chances

Question 27

What type of male do females seek?

Answer 27

A strong, dominant male who provides resources

Question 28

Who are females in competition with and why?

Answer 28

Other females to access a high quality males

Question 29

Who conducted RTS the evolutionary theory for partner preferences and the relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour?

Answer 29

Buss

Question 30

What method did Buss carry out?

Answer 30

A survey

Question 31

How many participants from how many countries were involved in Buss' research?

Answer 31

10,000 participants from 33 different countries

Question 32

What questions were ppts from Buss' research asked?

Answer 32

Ones relating to a variety of attributes that evolutionary theory predicts are important in partner preferences

Question 33

What did Buss find that males prefer?

Answer 33

Youthful, physically attractive females

Question 34

What did Buss find females preferred?

Answer 34

Resources such as good finances and ambitious males

Question 35

What does Buss' research show?

Answer 35

Universal sex differences in sexual selection supporting predictions of partner preferences made by the evolutionary explanation

Question 36

Name another RTS

Answer 36

Clarke and Hatfield

Question 37

What was the procedure of Clarke and Hatfield's research?

Answer 37

They had males and females approach members of the opposite sex and ask "Will you have sex with me?"

Question 38

What was Clarke and Hatfield's findings?

Answer 38

75% of males said yes to the female 0% of females said yes to the male

Question 39

What does Clarke and Hatfield's research demonstrate about femlaes?

Answer 39

They are more choosy when selecting sexual partners

Question 40

What does Clarke and Hatfield's research demonstrate about males?

Answer 40

They have evolved a different strategy to ensure reproductive success

Question 41

What does this increase?

Answer 41

The validity

Question 42

What does the evolutionary theory of partner preferences lack?

Answer 42

Temporal validity

Question 43

Why does it lack temporal validity?

Answer 43

It cannot explain modern relationships

Question 44

Name three types of relationships it cannot explain

Answer 44

Homosexuality Individuals who don't want to have children Women who choose to have abortions

Question 45

What does the evolutionary theory assume?

Answer 45

All relationships are motivated by the desire to reproduce