Psych of human sexuality

Question 1

What makes us consider people attractive?

Answer 1

Features/details, media influences, cultural influences, artificial influences and symmetry of faces

Question 2

Name the 4 principles in evolutionary theory

Answer 2

Principle of variation, inheritance, adaptation (survival advantages), evolution (fitness, produce more)

Question 3

State the 2 principles underlying evolutionary psychology

Answer 3

Proximate versus evolutionary psych (proximate = here and now, ultimate = explanations). Traits can have proximate and ultimate causes

Question 4

List the 5 predictions arising from parental investment theory

Answer 4

Sex investing more in offspring will be more choosing about mates, sex investing least should compete more vigorously for mates, male competition leads to physical dimorphism. Competition reduces as male investment equals females. If male investment is higher, women display male characteristics

Question 5

What are adaptive problems?

Answer 5

Face physical and social environments e.g. finding a mate, food, avoiding predation. These problems affect fitness

Question 6

Are all features adaptive? If not provide examples

Answer 6

No, for example belly buttons are a by-product

Question 7

State the 3 roles of the environment

Answer 7

Interactions with environmental features during development are critical for normal development. Input may be required in order to activate certain adaptive features. Developmental effects may channel individuals into 1 of several different paths.

Question 8

To ensure a genes continued existence in the next generation, which factors are necessary?

Answer 8

Resistance mutation, make body healthy, avoid disease, make body attractive to other sex, lots of mates

Question 9

Describe the involvement of interactionism

Answer 9

A key assumption underlying evolutionary psych is that behaviour is created by gene-environment interaction

Question 10

Describe the importance of parental investment

Answer 10

Investment by the parent in an individual offspring that increases that offspring’s survival chances at the cost of the parent’s ability to invest in other offspring

Question 11

Female mate choices include…

Answer 11

More colourful, conspicuous, louder, daring and aggressive individuals. Traits can impair male survival chances. Females evolved information processing biases.

Question 12

List traits correlated with high male mating value (5)

Answer 12

Symmetry, healthy body, social dominance, trustworthy, intelligence

Question 13

Name the 3 things females have evolved preferences for

Answer 13

Good financial prospects, higher social status, hardworking/industrious

Question 14

In Townsend & Levy’s research, were women more attracted to high status/homely males or low status/attractive males?

Answer 14

High status/homely males

Question 15

Shackelford & Larsen’s research found greater asymmetry led to what psychologically?

Answer 15

Self-reported depression, inferiority, physical health problems

Question 16

Shackelford & Larsen’s research found great asymmetry led to what judgements about the males?

Answer 16

Less attractive, less emotionally stable and less intelligent

Question 17

Explain the menstrual cycle influence that Penton-Voak and Kochler found

Answer 17

Females preferred masculine looking faces at ovulation, but less masculine faces when non-fertile. Non-pill using females rated the attractiveness of male faces varying in symmetry during menses and just before ovulation

Question 18

List male mate preferences (6)

Answer 18

Good reproductive value, youth, breast size & shape, big hips, size/shape, facial aspects

Question 19

How can fat distribution be assessed?

Answer 19

BY measuring waist-to-hip ratio. WHR - waist circumference divided by hip circumference.

Question 20

Which 2 types of fats determine a woman’s attractiveness?

Answer 20

Android and gynoid fat distribution

Question 21

State the typical female and male WHR

Answer 21

Female = 0.67-0.80. Male = 0.85-0.95

Question 22

Which characteristics did women see as particularly undesirable?

Answer 22

Promiscuity and unfaithfulness

Question 23

Which characteristics are said to determine beauty? (5)

Answer 23

Unwrinkled skin, bright eyes, full, red lips, glossy hair, lack of blemishes and facial hair