intersexual selection

• natural selection 


  Animals should evolve physical & behavioural characteristics that allow them to perform in competition with their rivals. This will increase their chance of survival.
• sexual selection 


  Traits could evolve because they were attractive to the opposite sex or increase chances of winning a mate. Will lead to survival of their genes due to increased reproductive success
• reproductive success 


  number of offspring produced
• intersexual selection ? 


  • members of one biological sex choose mates of the other sex

  • These mate choice preferences cause preferred characteristics to survive (as these genes are passed on)
• evolution of sexual selection ?

  Purpose of attraction is to

  increase their reproductive success.

  maximise the chance of passing on genes.

  • Theory predicts a sex difference in mate choice preferences and choosiness

  • as males and females have different biology

  •therefore had very different strategies for increasing their reproductive success back in EEA
• biological difference in male vs female

  
• males will be attracted too

  physical attraction, symmetrical face, curvy, big bum, and fertility
• men will be promiscuous as there is a low cost of making a bad choice
• females will be attracted too ?

  •resources to look after herself & child

  • ambition:will work hard to improve level of resources

  • older men = more time to gather resources

  •intelligent men = increased chance of finding resources
• females will be choosy as the cost of a bad decision is high due to limited reproduction opportunity the investment is bigger each time
• supporting evidence for difference in mate choice

  
• buss a03?


  •Indicates role of genes rather than culture

  • Cultures are very different yet mate preferences are universal across the 37 cultures

  •This suggests nature rather than nurture is significant in determining mate choice
• Buss' study weakness


  Fails to distinguish between long term and short term preferences
• People have different preferences for brief sexual encounters compared with looking for a long term partner
• Preferences for short-term vs long-term relationships


  • Men not worried about female intelligence for one night stand, but intelligence important for marriage
  • Same findings for females
• Buss' findings


  May not be valid in all situations/relationships
• Buss finding 2?Evolutionary theory could be criticised for alpha gender bias by exaggerating the differences between male and female preferences by suggesting that only females value intelligence
• clarke and hatfield supporting evidence

  
• a03 reductionist ?


  •complexity of mate choice is reduced to a reproductive strategy

  •does not take into account the media and that men amy value physical attributes more due to how the media present females

  •also struggles to explain individual choice for example homosexual relationships where it doesn’t lead to reproductive success
• a03 deterministic ?


  •biological determinism as it states we have no role in picking our partner

  •socially sensitive as has been used to excuse poor behaviour such as being unfaithful and rape

  • however evolutionary theorists are explaining, not excusing the behaviour