Discuss the relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour
- Created by: Kelsie
- Created on: 31-05-14 13:43
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- Discuss the relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour
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- Long-term mating = both sexes invest heavily in offspring
- Choosiness is high. They don't want to invest in children that have been given poor genes
- Wastes resources
- Choosiness is high. They don't want to invest in children that have been given poor genes
- Women more choosy. They are obliged biologically to invest in a child
- So they look for qualities e.g good resources + physical strength in males
- Long-term mating = both sexes invest heavily in offspring
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- Clarke + Hattfield support idea men more likely to seek short term mating
- 75% men willing to have sex with attractive women, women would not.
- Males have evolved mechanisms to increase reproductive success.
- 75% men willing to have sex with attractive women, women would not.
- Clarke + Hattfield support idea men more likely to seek short term mating
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- Men = greater desire for casual sex. Seek sex earlier in relationship
- Men can produce several children a year, women cannot.
- They want to impregnate women before moving on, more chance of genes being passed on
- May experience decrease in sexual attraction after sex to stop them spending too much time with one woman
- They want to impregnate women before moving on, more chance of genes being passed on
- Men can produce several children a year, women cannot.
- Men = greater desire for casual sex. Seek sex earlier in relationship
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- Female mate choice varies across menstrual cycle
- Penton-voak = females preferred more masculine faces during fertile periods and more feminine faces during less fertile periods
- Suggests female may desire a male w/ feminine features as it represents = kindness + co-operation in child rearing. Female may desire male with masculine appearance as they possess desirable quality for offspring.
- Penton-voak = females preferred more masculine faces during fertile periods and more feminine faces during less fertile periods
- Female mate choice varies across menstrual cycle
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- Buss looked at what individuals look for in marriage partner
- 10,000+ people from 37 different cultures
- Results supported evolutionary explanations of sexual selection
- e.g. women want men with good financial resources to be able to provide for children
- e.g. men want women who are physically attractive + appear fertile
- + youth = sign of fertility + health
- Results supported evolutionary explanations of sexual selection
- 10,000+ people from 37 different cultures
- Buss looked at what individuals look for in marriage partner
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- Intersexual selection = mates have preferences for certain characteristics
- The preferences of one sex must be met by the other e.g. men want women who are physically attractive
- These indicators reveal traits that could be passed to offspring e.g. height
- Or which could be passed on to offer protection = economic resources
- These indicators reveal traits that could be passed to offspring e.g. height
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- Visual + chemical indicators tell men when women are at their most fertile point of menstrual cycle.
- According to evolution, men would fins women most attractive at these times
- Miller at al: found lap dancers earned twice as many tips during this phase - men found them most attractive during fertile stage on menstrual cycle
- According to evolution, men would fins women most attractive at these times
- Visual + chemical indicators tell men when women are at their most fertile point of menstrual cycle.
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- Buss + similar studies have validity issues
- Although they show evidence of mate choice this may be different to actual mate choice as there may be compromise on certain aspects
- However another study by Buss supports previous study
- Study of married couples from 29 different cultures = men do marry younger women.
- Buss + similar studies have validity issues
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- Although Buss supports idea men prefer younger women this may not because of fertility
- Some critics try to describe it in terms of social power = younger women are more easily controlled
- Kenrick rejected this idea
- teenage males are most attracted to women 5 years older, these women are not easily controlled
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- Intrasexual selection = members of one sex (usually males) compete with others for a member of the opposite sex
- Victors pass on genes, losers don't
- The factor which made the male successful is passed onto offspring, ensuring their survival + genes passed on
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- Gender bias in research into short term mating
- Although short term mating could be costly for females they could also benefit from it
- May use short term mating to produce genetically diverse offspring/ way of ending relationship with poor quality male.
- Although short term mating could be costly for females they could also benefit from it
- Gender bias in research into short term mating
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