Relationships

Question 1

Sexual selection

Answer 1

• an evolutionary explanation for partner preferences
• behaviors + characteristics that increase reproductive success are selected
• over generations these traits will increase in gene pool

Question 2

Anisogamy

Answer 2

• differences in male and female gametes
• male gametes are produced in high numbers for nearly the man’s whole life, and don’t
  require much energy for production
• females gametes production requires a lot of energy and are only produced during very
  small fertility window
• this difference in anisogamy is responsible for the different mating strategies of males and females

Question 3

Inter - Sexual
selection

Answer 3

• when members of one sex choose mates of other sex to reproduce with based on specific
  traits that increase reproductive success
• this is the preferred mating technique of females since they invest a lot more into offspring making them more selective
• they prefer quality over quantity

Question 4

Intra-sexual
selection

Answer 4

• when members of same sex compete with each other to attract a member of the other sex
• try attract + mate with as many females as possible (quantity over quality) to ensure
  survival of their genes
• preferred mating strategy of males as they invest less into the offspring

Question 5

Characteristics and traits females look for

Answer 5

resourcses (e.g. money, ambition,
intelligence), dominance (eg tall, healthy, V shaped chest)
* these characteristics show that the male will be able to provide for + protect offspring and
female,
* increasing survival chance of offspring increasing reproductive success

Question 6

Male-female
dimorphism

Answer 6

• each gender selects individuals who possess specific physical characteristics to mate +
  reproduce with
• these characteristics are the characteristics that increase reproductive success
• these traits are passed onto offspring and over generations the genes responsible for
  these characteristics increase within gene pool
• these physical characteristics become more common within populations
• this leads to males and females looking very different since males look for different things
  in females than males look for in females

Question 7

Characteristics males look for

Answer 7

Characteristics males look for: traits that indicate fertility (large breasts, youthful face,
large eyes, small nose, 0.7 hip to waist ratio)
* these fertility traits ensure male can reproduce with her for longer, increasing survival of his genes

Question 8

Evolutionary explanations for partner preference AO3

Answer 8

✅ Buss et al research support
* surveyed adults in 30 countries asking questions on partner preferences
* found that females valued resource related characteristics, and males valued high
reproductive capacity characteristics
* support predictions of evolutionary explanation for partner preferences

✅ research support – Clarke and Hatfield
* male and females students asked opposite gender students “ will you have sex with me “?
* 0% females agreed, 75% males agreed
* supports idea that males try mate with as many women as possible whereas females are
more selective (intra + inter sexual selection)

❌ legitimises gender double standards
* reductionist theory + legitimises gender double standards
* reduces female to baby makers, and males to human bank account however human
behavior is much more complex + variable
* legitimises view that males can have sex with as many women as they like but females
must commit to 1 male
* sexist + socially sensitive

Question 9

Self-disclosure definition