Relationship
Discuss and evaluate the explanation for partner preferences
(evolutionary explanation)
AO1
- Evolutionary psychologists propose that mate choice is
unconsciously guided by cues that indicate some survival advantage
for offspring
- Mate choice cues are different for males and females
- Anisogamy is the differences between male and female sex cells
- Intra sexual selection is competition between members of the same
sex
- Intersexual selection is the selection between sexes
Males strategies
- Attract women who show signs of good reproductive potential
indicated by physical characteristics such as smooth skin, white
teeth, youth and healthiness
- Size and appearance males evolved to be larger and some
species developed physical attributes to increase the appearance
and strength to females
- Mate – guarding males may be protective of their mate to prevent
other males having opportunity of getting pregnant and therefore
leaving them to use their resources to raise another male’s offspring
Female strategies
- Women should be attracted to males who have social and economic
advantages
- Sexy sons hypothesis females are thought to seek out attractive
males so that any son they produce will pass on the genes to
another generation
- Courtship females use courtship to select the most suitable male
to reproduce with. By making males spend time and resources in
the build-up to a relationship, the female can check his suitability for
reproduction.
AO3
Real – world application – modern day mate guarding
- Mate guarding – males are more protective of their mate to prevent
other males having an opportunity to can be applied to everyday life
- The practice of checking your partners phone or computer may be
seen as form of mate guarding in modern society
- Checking to find out if they have been unfaithful can be linked to
the idea of males not wanting other males to have an opportunity of
getting their partner pregnant
- Therefore the evolutionary explanation provides a reason for this
behaviour commonly seen within our societies
The evolutionary explanation presumes heterosexuality
- The sexual selection theory ignores relationships not aimed at
reproducing
, - Lawson et al found that the preferences of homosexual men and
women are different to heterosexual men and women – this could
be due to the fact that in single sex relationships they are not
actively seeking the qualities relevant to caring for offspring and the
resources needed to do so
- Therefore this makes the explanation heteronormative as it is
unable to be generalised to all romantic relationships
The evolutionary explanation lacks temporal validity
- Over the past century the social norms of society have drastically
changed
- For example, women have a greater role in the workplace, there is
more availability for contraception and men are seen to have a
greater role in the upbringing of their children
- As a result there has been a change in social preference for women
who were seen to be resource-orientated in the past
- Therefore, in modern day society partner preference should be a
combination of cultural and evolutionary influence and explanations
Discuss self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic
relationships
AO1
- Self-disclosure refers to the revealing of intimate information to
another person
- It plays an important role in developing a relationship beyond the
point of initial attraction
- There is a need for reciprocity for a relationship to develop – both
should receive information sensitively, encouraging the other to
open up and disclose more intimate information
- Social penetration theory – the gradual process of revealing your
inner self to someone and sharing your deepest thoughts and
feelings
- According to the social penetration theory both depth and self –
disclosure are vital
- Breadth is narrow at the beginning of the relationship because if too
much information is revealed one partner may be put off and leave
the relationship
AO3
Real – world application
- Hass and Stafford found that 57% of homosexual men and women
reported they used open and honest self-disclosure as a relationship
maintenance strategy
- Furthermore, couples who limit communication to small talk can be
encouraged to use self – disclosure in order to deepen their
relationship
- This highlights the importance of self-disclosure and suggests the
theory can be used in helping those who have relationship problems
e.g., communication
Discuss and evaluate the explanation for partner preferences
(evolutionary explanation)
AO1
- Evolutionary psychologists propose that mate choice is
unconsciously guided by cues that indicate some survival advantage
for offspring
- Mate choice cues are different for males and females
- Anisogamy is the differences between male and female sex cells
- Intra sexual selection is competition between members of the same
sex
- Intersexual selection is the selection between sexes
Males strategies
- Attract women who show signs of good reproductive potential
indicated by physical characteristics such as smooth skin, white
teeth, youth and healthiness
- Size and appearance males evolved to be larger and some
species developed physical attributes to increase the appearance
and strength to females
- Mate – guarding males may be protective of their mate to prevent
other males having opportunity of getting pregnant and therefore
leaving them to use their resources to raise another male’s offspring
Female strategies
- Women should be attracted to males who have social and economic
advantages
- Sexy sons hypothesis females are thought to seek out attractive
males so that any son they produce will pass on the genes to
another generation
- Courtship females use courtship to select the most suitable male
to reproduce with. By making males spend time and resources in
the build-up to a relationship, the female can check his suitability for
reproduction.
AO3
Real – world application – modern day mate guarding
- Mate guarding – males are more protective of their mate to prevent
other males having an opportunity to can be applied to everyday life
- The practice of checking your partners phone or computer may be
seen as form of mate guarding in modern society
- Checking to find out if they have been unfaithful can be linked to
the idea of males not wanting other males to have an opportunity of
getting their partner pregnant
- Therefore the evolutionary explanation provides a reason for this
behaviour commonly seen within our societies
The evolutionary explanation presumes heterosexuality
- The sexual selection theory ignores relationships not aimed at
reproducing
, - Lawson et al found that the preferences of homosexual men and
women are different to heterosexual men and women – this could
be due to the fact that in single sex relationships they are not
actively seeking the qualities relevant to caring for offspring and the
resources needed to do so
- Therefore this makes the explanation heteronormative as it is
unable to be generalised to all romantic relationships
The evolutionary explanation lacks temporal validity
- Over the past century the social norms of society have drastically
changed
- For example, women have a greater role in the workplace, there is
more availability for contraception and men are seen to have a
greater role in the upbringing of their children
- As a result there has been a change in social preference for women
who were seen to be resource-orientated in the past
- Therefore, in modern day society partner preference should be a
combination of cultural and evolutionary influence and explanations
Discuss self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic
relationships
AO1
- Self-disclosure refers to the revealing of intimate information to
another person
- It plays an important role in developing a relationship beyond the
point of initial attraction
- There is a need for reciprocity for a relationship to develop – both
should receive information sensitively, encouraging the other to
open up and disclose more intimate information
- Social penetration theory – the gradual process of revealing your
inner self to someone and sharing your deepest thoughts and
feelings
- According to the social penetration theory both depth and self –
disclosure are vital
- Breadth is narrow at the beginning of the relationship because if too
much information is revealed one partner may be put off and leave
the relationship
AO3
Real – world application
- Hass and Stafford found that 57% of homosexual men and women
reported they used open and honest self-disclosure as a relationship
maintenance strategy
- Furthermore, couples who limit communication to small talk can be
encouraged to use self – disclosure in order to deepen their
relationship
- This highlights the importance of self-disclosure and suggests the
theory can be used in helping those who have relationship problems
e.g., communication
