Psychology/ Relationships Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is Intrasexual selection?
Where the individuals of one sex must compete against other member of that sex to gain access to members of the other sex
What is Intersexual Selection?
Where members of one sex evolve preferences for desirable qualities in potential mates.
What is the key belief of sexual selection?
According to sexual selection its essentially stating that it pays to be choosy, as the genetic quality of the mate will determine half the genetic quality of any offspring. Low quality mates e.g. those that are unattractive and unhealthy will be more likely to produce an unattractive unhealthy baby
What is mate selections
Males have to compete with other males and compete for the women’s since she’s ‘choosey’
What did Buss and Schmitt conclude?
The less time a man is with a woman, the more he can mate. Men seek sex earlier in a relationship than women, and lose interest quickly. Men have an evolved adaption to prevent them staying to long with a women
What further evidence is there for Sexual selection?
Clark and Hatfield. Asked uni students, 75% of males agreed to it, 0% of females agreed
What are two evaluation points of sexual selection?
Reductionist - what about homosexual relationships, or couples who don’t have children. Focuses on fecundity
Validity - Self-report strategies
Gender Bias - (Alpha)
What is equity theory?
Walster believed that people strive to achieve fairness in their relationship. Inequality has the potential to cause distress. This happens when one person gives it there all yet receive very little back from their partner
What is the Filter theory?
Kerchoff and Davis’ believed that relationships develop through 3 filters and that different factors are important at different times. We move from: field of availables to field of desirables
What are the three filters?
Demographic variables
Similarity in attitudes and values
meeting Emotional needs
Summarise the three filters applying to a relationship
At the start of a relationship, Demographic variables are the most important factor. As the relationship develops, similar attitudes and values start becoming more important and for long-lasting relationships, compatibility is the most important filter
What was Kerchoff and Davis’ study?
They questioned 94 US couples about their relationships and all of which supported the filter theory in their answers
What study counteracted Kerchoff and Davis’?
Levinger et al replicated their study and failed to find the same results. He found no significant links between the length of the relationships and the different filters. This therefore questions the temporal validity of Kerchoff and Davis’ study
What is the matching hypothesis?
The belief that people tend to form relationships with those of equal attractiveness. But people who dont match on physical attractiveness may be trading other assets i.e. wealth, humour or status
What was the study that Walster carried out to support The matching Hypothesis?
He got people to meet before a dance and spend some time chatting. This time, having to got to know each other a little, the students involved were more likely to express the most liking to those with similar attractiveness levels
What are two evaluation points of the Matching hypothesis? - -
-Sex differences in attraction (Beta Bias)
-Cultural influences
How does natural selection apply to selection of partners in humans?
Partner choice is driven by the desire to have children who survive and go on to reproduce themselves
What is male-female dimorphism?
Males and females display secondary sexual characteristics that are an indication of good physical and genetic health. These are selected for by both genders becoming more common
What did Buss find supporting the idea of what males look for in females?
Surveyed 10,000 adults in 33 cultures there was a pattern of male selecting women of a younger age and good looks. Females prioritised resources
What study did Clark and Hatfield carry out?
When asked by an attractive researcher 50% of both genders agreed to date, but 0% of females agreed to have sex compared to 75% of males
Why is research often criticised as socially insensitive?
It shames women for their sexual behaviour, if these differences are exaggerated it would be a type of gender bias called alpha bias
Why is self-disclosure thought to be an important factor in attraction?
We reveal more information to people we like, self disclosure from others suggests they like and trust us
Define reciprocity in relation to self disclosure?
Relationships onnly develop if both induviduals disclose information and resopnd appropriately
How was self-disclosure studied by Spreecher and Hendrick
Observation of students dating and their self disclosure showed men and women had similar levels of self-disclosure and there was a positive relationship satisfaction
