Why some characteristics that appear disadvantageous actually give an advantage in human reproductive behaviour bc the characteristics attract potential mates.
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What is anisogamy?
The difference between male and female sex cells (gametes)
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Describe the difference
Male gametes are small, mobile, created continuously and do not require much energy to produce. Female gametes are large, static, produced at intervals and require lots of energy (pregnancy).
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What is a consequence of anisogamy?
That fertile females are more rare than fertile males.
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What is inter-sexual selection?
Between the sexes - strategies that males use to select females or vice visa
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What is intra-sexual selection?
Within the sexes - strategies between males to be the one thats selected.
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What is the preferred strategy for females?
Inter-sexual selection - quality over quantity.
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Why is this?
Because female reproduction takes a greater investment of time and commitment before, during and after the birth. Consequences of making a bad mating choice is worse for the female.
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What do females look for in their mating partner?
Genetically fit and able and willing to provide resources.
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What is the runaway process?
The idea that traits that are considered attractive (e.g. hight) then females would choose to mate with people with this trait, therefore passing it onto their offspring
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Who came up with this idea and using which study/hypothesis?
Ronald Fisher and his **** sons hypothesis.
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What is the preferred strategy of the male?
Intra-sexual selection - quantity over quality
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What is dimorphism?
The obvious differences between males and females
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Give an example of this
Size - in a fight between males for a mate, its advantageous to be larger, however females have to evolutionary advantage to being larger.
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What is an example of a behavioural consequence of intra-sexual selection?
Behaving aggressively in order to acquire a fertile female and protect them from a competing mate.
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How does anisogamy effect male preference?
Preference for youth (certain facial features) and fertility (certain body shapes) bc their best strategy is to impregnate every women on earth.
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What did Buss study?
Carried out a survey of 10,000 adults in 37 countries asking questions about age and attributes that should be important for partner preference.
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What did he find?
Female respondents valued resource-related characteristics and male respondents valued reproductive capactiy (good looks etc..) Males also preferred younger mates.
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What do these findings suggest?
Sex differences in mate strategies due to anisogamy.
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What is a strength of this research?
Carried out across multiple cultures so more generalisable.
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What was the research carried out by Clark and Hatfield?
Male and female pscyhology students asked students around campus; 'Ive seen you around, I find you very attractive, would you go to bed with me tonight?'
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What did they find?
That 0% of female students agreed to sex whereas 75% of male students did.
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How does this support evolutionary theory?
Suggests females are choosier than males when it comes to selecting partners
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What will have influenced mate preference in the last century?
Changing social norms of sexual behaviour
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What does women having a greater role in the workplace mean for attraction?
No longer dependant on men to provide resources, so less focused around resource based traits.
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What did Chang find?
Compared partner preferences in China over 25 years and found that some stayed the same and some changed corresponding with large social events at the time.
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Why does this make the evolutionary theory limited?
Because clearly mate preference is a combination of cultural and evolutionary influences which this theory doesn't account for.
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What is the 'ideal' waist to hip ratio?
0.7
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Why is this an attractive trait?
Because it shows that a women is fertile but not pregnant.
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Who conducted research from lonely hearts ads?
Waynforth and Dunbar
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What did they find?
Women would offer more physical attractiveness traits and indicators of youth whereas men offered resources ('successful', 'ambitious' etc)
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What is anisogamy?
Back
The difference between male and female sex cells (gametes)
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