Evolutionary Explanations

• :) RTS Buss

  > carried out a survey on over 10,000 participants from 33 countries, asking questions relating to a variety of attributes that evolutionary theory predicts are important in partner preferences

  > found that males prefer youthful, physically attractive females, whereas females prefer resourceful, ambitious males - these reflect sex differences in sexual selection

  > supports predictions of partner preferences made by the evolutionary explanation
• :) RTS Clarke and Hatfield

  > had males and females approach members of the opposite sex and ask 'will you have sex with me?' - 75% of males said yes compared to 0% of females

  > supports differences in partner preference and human reproductive behaviour - females appear to be choosy and males aim to ensure reproductive success

  discussion - too simplistic, as both sexes become choosy when seeking long-term relationships
• :( lacks temporal validity

  > cannot explain modern relationships - homosexuality, individuals who do not want children, women who choose to have an abortion - evolutionary explanation assumes all relationships are motivated by a desire to reproduce

  > limits the evolutionary explanation as it cannot solely explain the relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour