Describe and evaluate the relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour.
Sexual Selection Inter-sexual selection Inter & intra selection Intra-sexual selection (cont)
● Anisogamy: differences ● Creates different mating strategies ● Height is marker of fitness in ♂, ● Males competing pass on gene
between ♀ & ♂ sex cells. ● Intersexual: selection of mates ♀ choosing ♂, they have greater to next generation, traits
Sperm is small, mobile, between different sexes, ♀selecting♂ reproductive success & innate perpetuated.
continuously formed from ● Female strategy: females have preferences passed on. Leads to ● Impact: intra leads to patterns of
puberty to old age. greater investment of time, taller men being selected. behaviour:
● Ova: larger, static and commitment, other resources before, ● Intra: selection of mates within ● male aggression: aggressive
produced at intervals for during and after birth. sexes, males competing w males males more likely to reproduce.
limited number of years. ● Must be choosier than males to ● Male strategy: reproduce as ● male preference for youthful
● Anisogamy: related to provide healthy offspring & resources frequently as possible, women, signs of fertility for
mating strategies, more ● Preference of sexes determine which competition is necessary as ♀ are reproductive success
fertile ♂ than ♀ attributes passed on, eg height limited resource & choosy. ● Impacts mating behaviour
Clark + Hatfield, Support Buss, Research Support, Low validity Ignores social influences Singh, waist-hip ratio
● Students asked ‘I find you ● Buss surveyed 10000 adults in 33 ● Partner preference impacted ● Singh measured waist-hip ratio
attractive: would you go to countries about partner preference over time by changing social preferences of ♂ for ♀
bed w me tonight?’ ● Found females valued resource norms or cultural practises ● Findings show small waist & wide
● No ♀ students agreed to related characteristics than males, eg ● Occurred too rapidly for hips preferred, signify ♀ is fertile
male requests financial prospects. Sexy sons hypo evolutionary terms but not pregnant. Ratio 1:0.7
● 75% ♂ agreed to ♀ ● Males valued reproductive capacity ● Chang reports preferences have ● Shows evolutionary factors
● Supports female eg good looks and youth. Survey changed, & same over 25 years reflected in patterns of human
choosiness & males ● Supports sex difference due to in China. reproductive behaviour through
evolved diff strategy, anisogamy and partner preferences ● Suggests evolutionary partner preferences.
ensure reproduc success from sexual selection theory influences to be taken account
Lonely Heart Research Real World Application Nomothetic Biological Approach
● Studied adverts in US ● Ignores relationships that are not ● Theory is nomothetic as it ● Using evolutionary strategies to
newspapers, see how ♂ & sexual & not aimed at reproduction, creates general laws on explain human reproductive
♀ describe qualities they eg homosexual relationships explaining sexual selection, even behaviour is scientific.
desired/offered in partner ● Mate choice based on biological though it is not applicable to ● Attributes to passed on, causing
● ♀ offered physical preferences surrounding reproductive relationships not aimed at greater reproductive success for
attractiveness & indicators success reproduction, eg homosexual best genes, and innate
of youth, sought resources ● Not explained by all relationships, relationships. preferences being passed on.
● ♂ offered resources, ignored ● Sexy sons: ♀ want attractive ♂
sought youth & attractive so sons attractive, genes pass
Describe and evaluate research into self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.
Sexual Selection Inter-sexual selection Inter & intra selection Intra-sexual selection (cont)
● Anisogamy: differences ● Creates different mating strategies ● Height is marker of fitness in ♂, ● Males competing pass on gene
between ♀ & ♂ sex cells. ● Intersexual: selection of mates ♀ choosing ♂, they have greater to next generation, traits
Sperm is small, mobile, between different sexes, ♀selecting♂ reproductive success & innate perpetuated.
continuously formed from ● Female strategy: females have preferences passed on. Leads to ● Impact: intra leads to patterns of
puberty to old age. greater investment of time, taller men being selected. behaviour:
● Ova: larger, static and commitment, other resources before, ● Intra: selection of mates within ● male aggression: aggressive
produced at intervals for during and after birth. sexes, males competing w males males more likely to reproduce.
limited number of years. ● Must be choosier than males to ● Male strategy: reproduce as ● male preference for youthful
● Anisogamy: related to provide healthy offspring & resources frequently as possible, women, signs of fertility for
mating strategies, more ● Preference of sexes determine which competition is necessary as ♀ are reproductive success
fertile ♂ than ♀ attributes passed on, eg height limited resource & choosy. ● Impacts mating behaviour
Clark + Hatfield, Support Buss, Research Support, Low validity Ignores social influences Singh, waist-hip ratio
● Students asked ‘I find you ● Buss surveyed 10000 adults in 33 ● Partner preference impacted ● Singh measured waist-hip ratio
attractive: would you go to countries about partner preference over time by changing social preferences of ♂ for ♀
bed w me tonight?’ ● Found females valued resource norms or cultural practises ● Findings show small waist & wide
● No ♀ students agreed to related characteristics than males, eg ● Occurred too rapidly for hips preferred, signify ♀ is fertile
male requests financial prospects. Sexy sons hypo evolutionary terms but not pregnant. Ratio 1:0.7
● 75% ♂ agreed to ♀ ● Males valued reproductive capacity ● Chang reports preferences have ● Shows evolutionary factors
● Supports female eg good looks and youth. Survey changed, & same over 25 years reflected in patterns of human
choosiness & males ● Supports sex difference due to in China. reproductive behaviour through
evolved diff strategy, anisogamy and partner preferences ● Suggests evolutionary partner preferences.
ensure reproduc success from sexual selection theory influences to be taken account
Lonely Heart Research Real World Application Nomothetic Biological Approach
● Studied adverts in US ● Ignores relationships that are not ● Theory is nomothetic as it ● Using evolutionary strategies to
newspapers, see how ♂ & sexual & not aimed at reproduction, creates general laws on explain human reproductive
♀ describe qualities they eg homosexual relationships explaining sexual selection, even behaviour is scientific.
desired/offered in partner ● Mate choice based on biological though it is not applicable to ● Attributes to passed on, causing
● ♀ offered physical preferences surrounding reproductive relationships not aimed at greater reproductive success for
attractiveness & indicators success reproduction, eg homosexual best genes, and innate
of youth, sought resources ● Not explained by all relationships, relationships. preferences being passed on.
● ♂ offered resources, ignored ● Sexy sons: ♀ want attractive ♂
sought youth & attractive so sons attractive, genes pass
Describe and evaluate research into self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.
