Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences

• What is sexual selection?

  Behaviours that increase reproductive success are passed on and may become exaggerated over succeeding generations of offspring
• What is intra-sexual selection?

  Members of one sex (males) compete for access to the other sex (females) leading to male-female dimorphism
• What is inter-sexual selection?

  One sex (females) chooses from available prospective mates (males) according to attractiveness
• Discuss the Parental investment theory

  • Males investment in offspring is relatively small and the best way to maximise reproductive success is to mate as often as possible
  • Females investments in offspring is substantial and the best chance of reproductive success is to ensure the survival of a smaller number of offspring
• What gender differences in choosiness does research suggest?

  Women value resources more than men
• What was the key study conducted by Buss in 1989?

  Questionnaires with 10,000 participants
• What demographic information was covered in Buss's study?

  Age and gender of participants
• What preferences were participants asked about in Buss's study?

  Marriage and mate characteristics
• What did the results of Buss's study reveal about women and men?

  Women valued resources; men valued youth
• Why have women evolved to select males who can provide resources?

  Due to limited access to resources historically
• What factor limits men's access in the context of Buss's study?

  Limited access to fertile women
• What is a limitation of Buss's study regarding cultural representation?

  It was difficult to include less educated populations
• What does CBS cultural research suggest about sexual selection?

  There is strong evidence for universality
• What percentage of men agreed to have sex in Clark & Hatfield's study?

  75% of men agreed to sex
• What was the sample used in Claim & Hatfield's research?

  Male and female students
• What were the three requests made in the study?

  1. Go out on a date that night
  2. Go back to their house
  3. Have sex with them
• What percentage of men and women agreed to go on a date?

  50%
• What percentage of women agreed to have sex in the study?

  None of the women
• How does the study support the evolutionary theory?

  It shows differing sexual behaviors between genders