Exam 2 - Chapter 6

Question 1

Naturalistic fallacy:

Answer 1

Perception that because it happens in nature, its good.

Question 2

How is beauty is in the eye of the beholder wrong? Given an example.

Answer 2

Beauty is in the perception of the beholder. Example, flies like poop, humans don’t.

Question 3

What is the function of beauty preferences. Male and Female.

Answer 3

Our preferences function as s signal for health.

For females SHR signals strength which is attractive for competition in mating.

For males its youthful skin, age, and nulliparity (WHR)

Question 4

Is sexual attraction conscious?

Answer 4

No. It’s an automatic response.

Question 5

Describe a few ways that faces are sexually dimorphic.

Answer 5

Jaw width, nose prominence, width/length of face.

Question 6

How does masculinity move with height?

Answer 6

Generally, the taller you are the more masculine you are perceived.

Question 7

What level of masculinity of females prefer in mates faces? Given they are heterosexual.

Answer 7

Females tend to prefer masculine but not hypermasculine.

Question 8

What empirical evidence describes cultural preferences for masculinity and femininity preferences.

Answer 8

A comparison of Caucasian and Asian males and females adn asked populations which one they perceived more attractive. Depitcing the images from feminine to masculine.

Traditional societies, males valued for masculine female faces. While modern societies males viewed more feminine faces more attractive.

Female preferences varied and there wasn’t much emphasis on masculine or feminine face features

Question 9

What are characteristics that are considered when deciding if someone is attractive?

Answer 9

Symmetry
Averageness
Young

Question 10

What is a biological and evolutionaryway of explaining why we value symmetry?

Answer 10

When developing in utero, sets of genes need to replicate to make the other half of your body. So symmetry is a sign of optimal environment and development staggering in utero

Question 11

What is some explanations for evidence to describe how individuals usually rate average composites more attractive than individual faces?

Answer 11

Even out skin tone (youth and current health level).

Balances out asymmetry
cancels variation

Question 12

What are signs and benefits of preferences for youth of females?

Answer 12

Even skin tone or healthy colour signals current health status and fertility

Question 13

Shoulder to Hip Ratio is an attractive feature to women. What empirical evidence describes this?

Answer 13

Individuals who were perceived as more facial attractive had more grip strength. SHR correlated to attractiveness and higher sexual history

Question 14

Female WHR is related to attractiveness. What are 5 empirical studies done on how this is not cultural. What does WHR signify?

Answer 14

1. Changes overtime in pageants and such. Preference for ~0.7.
2. Across cultures art: range that included 0.7
3. Males form Zulu, Britain, and males who moved to britain: maintained WHR preference but changes BMI preference.
4. Pre and post BBL preference across cultures. Preferred post WHR
5. Blind men also prefer WHR 0.7

Nulliparity, youth, age, current pregnancy status

Question 15

What is Android Pattern of body fat composition? What is it regulated by?

Answer 15

More body fat in the mid section (testosterone regulated

Question 16

What is Gynoid pattern of fat composition

Answer 16

Fat in the breasts, gluteal femoral tissue in the glutes and thighs used for growing bebeh

Question 17

What is a supernormal stimulus

Answer 17

Any sexual stimulus that elicits an automatic response more strongly than the sexual stimulus for which it evolved

Question 18

What are two pieces of empirical evidence that human ovulation isnt completely concealed?

Answer 18

1. Naturally cycling erotic dancing women made double amount of tips when they were ovulating
2. males tend to find smell preference for t-shirts as female estradiol is increased and progesterone is decreased levels.

Question 19

What is parental investment theory

Answer 19

Among sexually reproducing organisms, one sex typically invests more (obligate care), and their reproductive potential is limited, making them very picky about their partner.
The other sex that invests less has a greater capacity for overall reproduction, making them more competitive with same-sex rivals and less choosy about sexual opportunities

Question 20

What is empirical evidence that PIT in their preference for partners?

Answer 20

Females prefer better financial prospects and personaloty like males preferred youth

Question 21

What is evidence that females vary more in their preference for thier partner (looks/age)

Answer 21

Australian Speed dating. Personality was most valued for females and males valued looks.

Question 22

What is Kin-Directed-Altruism (KDA) and how is it adaptive

Answer 22

If you recognize who your family is you can help them, they share your genes and if they survive your genes survive

1. Avoids insest: inbreeding is genetically risky
2. Humans don’t have innate ability to recognize kin

Question 23

What is the Westermarck Hypothesis?

Answer 23

Being around others of the same species during a key developmental period leads to a suppression of sexual attraction to people around in that key period

Question 24

What are two pieces of empirical evidence that supports the Westermack Hypothesis?

Answer 24

1. Shim-Pua marriage in Taiwan: Minor arranged marriages were associated with fewer offspring and more divorce
2. Israeli Kibbutz: Childhood co-residence associated with sexual aversion to opposite sex peers

Question 25

What are sexual fantasies?

Answer 25

Sexual arousal that can arise from external stimuli, such as the presence or behaviour of a sexually attractive individual or it may arise from within

Question 26

What evidence do we know about the revelence of sexual fantasies and their alignment with realistic behaviour?

Answer 26

o Men fantasize about sex more than women do o Fantasies vary in content o Fantasies can explore impossible scenarios o Fantasies can be unexpected/taboo

Question 27

What empirical evidence exists about female fantasies about rape? How would ODSCT fit into this?

Answer 27

As the intensity of "rape" increased, less females said they fantasized about that. there is a hypothesis that women may use this fantasy to validate their own desires through pressure. ODSCT can help explain that that because they are so alluring someone cant control themselves.

Question 28

What is the Object of Desire Self-Consciousness Theory

Answer 28

women find it appealing when they get feedback from the world that they are sexually desirable from the world. Other peoples behaviour is telling you that something you’re doing is alluring.

Question 29

What is Sexual Conditioning

Answer 29

Classical conditioning requires an unconditioned stimulus + neutral -> response. So that the neutral stimulus will produce CR. Cant create a sexual response without US.

Question 30

Sexual Arousal Response Cycle (Masters & Johnson)

Answer 30

1. Excitement: physiological and cognitive responses that coordinate these things. Female Vaso congestion, penile erection. Increased blood flow. 2. Plateau: Sexual arousal is maintained. Clitoris retracts, tightening of muscles, secretions from Cowpers glands. 3. Orgasm: Sexual Climax. Muscle spasms, uterine contractions 4. Resolution: sexual systems restun to unaroused state

Question 31

What is the refractory period and how long does it last

Answer 31

(~30-90 minutes, longer as age). Its absolute that no amount of will or desire can overcome the absolute early refractory period. Males can be aroused by strong stimuli or novel partner (Coolidge effect) during the relative refractory period.

Question 32

What is the Coolidge effect?

Answer 32

Males can be aroused by strong stimuli or novel partner (Coolidge effect) during the relative refractory period.

Question 33

What is Kaplans sexual arousal repsonse model

Answer 33

Incorporates desire before the other phases. This signals the need to integrate psychological processes that play a role in sexual response.

Question 34

what is Bassons Sexual Response Model

Answer 34

Emphasizes the variety of reasons people choose to have sex (external and internal). Like Emotional intimacy.

Question 35

What does empirical evidence suggest about the variation in sexual response models

Answer 35

Females prefer the integration of desire (Kaplan and Basson) and some are ok with M&J