weaknesses

• Buss et al criticism

  -didn't distinguish between preferences people have for brief sexual encounter & those for long term partner
• Kenrick 


  -asked students to rank various attributes according to 4 levels of intimacy

  -when seeking marriage partner, intelligence important to both sexes

  -seeking sexual partner for one night stand, intelligence matters less > especially to men

  -suggests findings may not be valid across all situations

  -evolutionary theory criticised for being alpha gender biased > suggesting only females value intelligence
• evolutionary explanation reductionist 


  -reducing complex behaviour to sexual behaviour

  -reduce sexual behaviour to reproductive strategy

  -meaning of life simplified to spreading of genes

  -de-emphasises role of other factors like role of culture

  -could be argued men value physical attractiveness because media emphasises importance of appeal to these characters

  -doesn't consider individua differences in partner choice

  -struggles to explain homosexual relationships
• outdated > lacks temporal validity 


  -evolutionary theory struggles to explain homosexual relationships

  -mate choice doesn't lead to increase in reproductive success

  -theory is limited
• deterministic 


  -if biology determines our mate choice this means we have little / no choice about way we respond to others

  -many argue choice of partner actually involves great deal of deliberation & thought

  -biological determinism
• biological determinism 


  -raises socially sensitive issues

  -argue individuals can use as excuse for poor behaviour

  -being unfaithful = men want to maximise reproductive success

  -controversial > explain rape