Essay Plan
Evolutionary Explanations for Partner Preference
Description:
● Sexual selection explains the evolution of characteristics which enable reproductive
success
● Anisogamy refers to the differences between male and female sex cells. It means
there is never a shortage of fertile males but a fertile female is a ‘resource’.
● Intrasexual selection is when members of one sex (usually males) compete with each
other for access to members of the other sex. The male’s optimum strategy is to
compete in order to reproduce with as many fertile females as possible.
● Intersexual selection refers to the preferences of one sex for members of the
opposite sex who possess certain qualities.
● Females are a lot more choosy with their selection of a mate.
● If partner preferences do develop through evolution in this way, then we should
expect sex differences in reproductive attitudes and behaviour to be consistent.
Evaluation:
● Boss suggests men do seem to compete with one another in trying to attract a
female partner by trying to demonstrate they can provide more resources than the
competition.
● Support for the notion of intersexual selection comes from Clark and Hatfield. They
suggests that males have evolved a different mating strategy to females in order to
ensure maximum reproductive success.
● Buss found that men consistently showed more preference for younger and
physically attractive female partners and women consistently preferred males who
were ambitious. This suggests that reproductive behaviour has evolved in humans.
● However, the theory presumes heterosexuality and that all relationships are sexual.
● Evolutionary explanations may ignore rapidly changing social norms- ex: women do
not need men to provide for them anymore.
● Bereczkei et al argues that this social change has consequences for mate
preferences, which may no longer be resource-orientated.
● Being a problem as partner preferences may be more likely to be a combination of
cultural and evolutionary influences and any theory failing to account for both is
limited.
Evolutionary Explanations for Partner Preference
Description:
● Sexual selection explains the evolution of characteristics which enable reproductive
success
● Anisogamy refers to the differences between male and female sex cells. It means
there is never a shortage of fertile males but a fertile female is a ‘resource’.
● Intrasexual selection is when members of one sex (usually males) compete with each
other for access to members of the other sex. The male’s optimum strategy is to
compete in order to reproduce with as many fertile females as possible.
● Intersexual selection refers to the preferences of one sex for members of the
opposite sex who possess certain qualities.
● Females are a lot more choosy with their selection of a mate.
● If partner preferences do develop through evolution in this way, then we should
expect sex differences in reproductive attitudes and behaviour to be consistent.
Evaluation:
● Boss suggests men do seem to compete with one another in trying to attract a
female partner by trying to demonstrate they can provide more resources than the
competition.
● Support for the notion of intersexual selection comes from Clark and Hatfield. They
suggests that males have evolved a different mating strategy to females in order to
ensure maximum reproductive success.
● Buss found that men consistently showed more preference for younger and
physically attractive female partners and women consistently preferred males who
were ambitious. This suggests that reproductive behaviour has evolved in humans.
● However, the theory presumes heterosexuality and that all relationships are sexual.
● Evolutionary explanations may ignore rapidly changing social norms- ex: women do
not need men to provide for them anymore.
● Bereczkei et al argues that this social change has consequences for mate
preferences, which may no longer be resource-orientated.
● Being a problem as partner preferences may be more likely to be a combination of
cultural and evolutionary influences and any theory failing to account for both is
limited.
