evolutionary explanation AO3
- Created by: alexspringett123
- Created on: 26-01-17 15:08
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- evolutionary explanations (Darwin) AO3
- Stregnths
- Evidence to support sex differences in mate preferences (Buss '89)
- studied 37 cultures
- found that men placed most emphasis on phsycal attractiveness and desired women younger than themselves. Both indications that a female is fertile and healthy
- found that women showed a preference for males with resources or characteristics that could later lead to resources
- Therefore there is empirical research to support the evolutionary explanation. This gives it reliability and scientific credibility
- studied 37 cultures
- Evidence to support differences in reproductive behavior between sexes (Clark and Hatfield)
- Attractive male and female researchers approached students and asked if they were willing to have sex
- found that men were more willing to agree to have sex with a stranger than women
- This shows females are choosier than males when selecting sexual partners. This provides further support.
- Attractive male and female researchers approached students and asked if they were willing to have sex
- evidence to support waist to hip ratio (Singh '02)
- Studied waist-hip ratio
- found that males find mainly any hip and waist size attractive as long as the ratio is around 0.7. this is because it is the "honest signal" that a women is fertile and not pregnant.
- Therefore this shows that males have adapted to be attracted to females that show signs of fertility. This support the evolutionary explanation.
- Studied waist-hip ratio
- Evidence to support sex differences in mate preferences (Buss '89)
- Limitiations
- Methodology employed in the study could be questioned (Clark and Hatfield)
- The response given in this study could have been due to social norms and how males are encouraged to behave and not evolution.
- If approached in a different venue such as a club, the answer from females may have been different as some it is more normal to accept sex with strangers in certain places.
- Therefore the evidence from this research is flawed
- ignores social and cultural differences
- partner preference has been influenced by the changing social norms of sexual behavior such as the availability of contraception.
- The evolutionary explanation therefore fail to account for cultural influences.
- Methodology employed in the study could be questioned (Clark and Hatfield)
- Stregnths
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