Sexual Selection + Evolutionary Reasons

• Anisogamy


  Biological differences between the egg and sperm
• Anisogamy study


  • Clark + Hatfield asked "would you go out with me tonight?" - men and women were equally receptive
  • Clark + Hatfield asked "would you come over to my apartment or would you go to bed with me" - men were more likely to accept sexual offers 75% vs 0%
• Anisogamy study results


  Shows that partner preferences could be due to biological differences between the egg and sperm - alpha bias
• Evolutionary Reductionism assumes other factors like stranger danger, religion, cultural views, and reputation could also influence partner preferences
• The anisogamy study assumes all participants are heterosexual - sexuality bias
• Intersexual Selection


  Partner preferences due to the drive to pass on genes
• Buss study


  • 10,047 participants in 33 cultures were asked to rate 18 specific traits
  • Females valued "good financial prospects and resources" higher than males
  • Males preferred mates that were younger – more likely to be fertile and able to carry a child
  • Females preferred males who were older – resources such as money and status to protect them + their child
• Changing social norms in the last century


  Women's role in workplace means they are no longer dependent on men to provide for them so are less resource orientated
• Sharma showed that women only valued a mate's resources highly in countries where their educational opportunities and status were limited
• Bereczkei says that Buss is no longer relevant as partner preferences in the last century have been influenced by changing social norms
• Intrasexual Selection


  Males may use direct forms of aggression during intrasexual competition whereas females typically compete using indirect aggression
• Tactics used to make competitors look undesirable to the opposite sex


  • Pointing out a competitor's promiscuity
  • Slut shaming
• Females point out a competitor's promiscuity more than males e.g. "she cheats on men" or "telling everyone she sleeps around a lot"
• Slut shaming


  Makes the men think that the other women may already be pregnant so their resources would be wasted on a baby that isn't theirs, so the likelihood of their genes being passed on is not increased