sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours

what is sexual selection?

where individuals choose their mate based on what they believe to be desirable characteristics they want to pass onto their offspring

what is anisogamy?

differences between male and female sex cells

what supporting research is there for sexual selection?

• Buss surveyed over 10,000 adults in 33 countries

• found females universally put more importance on resource related characteristics in a partner

• men preferred younger mates and put more value on attractiveness/ability to reproduce

• as study conducted with large sample and over wide variety of cultures, it has high ecological validity

what are the two types of sexual characteristics?

primary and secondary

what are primary sexual characteristics?

body structures directly concerned with reproduction that allow us to tell males from females

what are secondary sexual characteristics?

features which appear at puberty and develop through adulthood that aid in attraction

what is dimorphism?

where the sexes of the same animal or plant species exhibit different characteristics, particularly those directly involved in reproduction

what are the two types of sexual selection?

inter and intra

what is inter-sexual selection?

where females have preferences for males who possess certain qualities, e.g. greater resources

• quality over quantity

what is intra-sexual selection?

where males compete with one another for females

• quantity over quality

what supporting research is there for inter-sexual selection?

• Clark and Hatfield asked male and female student volunteers to approach opposite sex students on a campus

• asked them: “I’ve noticed you around the campus. I find you very attractive. Will you go to bed with me tonight?”

• 75% of male students agreed but not a single female student said yes

• this real life application increases the ecological validity of sexual selection types

what are the weaknesses of sexual selection and human reproductive behaviours?

• ignores social and cultural influences

• deterministic and reductionist

ignores social and cultural influences

• theory is outdated

• social norms have changed around sexual behaviour

• women take more control over their sexuality, e.g. contraception is more readily available

• less dependent on men to provide for them

• not a full explanation and has low temporal validity

deterministic and reductionist

• suggests women only choose partner based on the amount of resources they have

• and men only choose based on how attractive they are

• creates harmful stereotypes which don’t fit society now

• question how ecological validity in current day