AO1

• what is sexual selection?

  An evolutionary explanation of partner preference. Attributes or behaviours that increase reproductive success are passed on and may become exaggerated over succeeding generations of offspring.
• what is human reproductive behaviour?

  This refers to any behaviours which relate to opportunities to reproduce and thereby increase the survival chances of our genes. It includes the evolutionary mechanisms underlying our partner preferences, such as mate choice and mate competition.
• Inter-sexual selection

  mate CHOICE

  quality over quantity

  one sex is choosy over selecting a sexual partner based on particular preferences

  the preference of one sex determines the areas in which the other sex must compete

  which leads to the development of traits that enable animals to attract members of the opposite sex
• Inter-sexual selection

  Trivers (1972)


  females optimum mating strategy is to select a genetically fit partner who is able and willing to provide resources
• Intra-sexual selection

  mate COMPETITION

  quantity over quality

  one sex competes with members of the same sex for access to females

  The winner gets to pass on his offspring

  Dimorphism = the obvious difference between males and females

  e.g. larger males have an advantage so are more likely to mate
• traits which increase reproductive success:

  strength, height, aggression, wide hips - infer an evolutionary advantagethose with these traits are more likely to survive and pass on their genes
• anisogamy?


  differences in male and female sex cells which result in different strategies for reproductive success
• human reproductive stategies 


  male courtship rituals, mate guarding, sneak copulation