(1) Unit 1 - Biological Assumption One - Explanation of Evolutionary Influences

How do evolutionary psychologists aim to explore human emotions, thoughts and responses?

Based on Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

What does Darwin’s Theory of Evolution state?

That species survive through ‘natural selection’; a process where those who adapt to their environment tend to survive and produce offspring, compared to people who find it difficult to adapt to change and therefore do not survive or produce offspring.

Why do evolutionary psychologists believe that individuals in a species show a wide range of differences between them?

The variation is due to differences in their genes; therefore, individuals with characteristics most suited to the environment in which they live are more likely to have evolved. The more evolved a person is, the more like they are to survive in their ever-changing environment.

What does ‘survival of the fittest’ mean?

The genes that allow these individuals to be successful are passed to their offspring who will, in turn, also be more successful because they innately have the ability to survive and evolve too. This means that genes within evolved families are more likely to be passed to each new generation.

Which psychologist claimed that the formation of romantic relationships is driven by evolution?

Trivers.

What was Triver’s theory about the formation of romantic relationships?

He claimed that the formation of romantic relationships is driven by evolution, specifically how each sex has a different level of investment in ensuring their offspring survives in order to pass on the family genes. This is referred to as ‘sexual selection’.

Why do females have a larger investment in the creation of offspring?

They carry the offspring so there are greater risks to their health and greater responsibilities to care for the baby.

What do females look for when selecting a partner?

Females are choosier when it comes to partner selection due to their level of investment. They look for a male with ambition, shelter and high earning capacity for her and her child.

Why do males have a smaller investment in the creation of offspring?

They do not invest much in their offspring as they can have many children with many different women in a short space of time compared to women.

What do males look for when selecting a partner?

Males look for fertile, youthful women to have babies.

How does Waynforth and Dunbar’s (1955) study support Triver’s theory of relationship formation as a result of evolutionary influences?

Waynforth and Dunbar (1995) studied advertisements from ‘Lonely Hearts’ columns from US newspapers to test hypotheses about mate preferences by male and female humans. They found that in general, men prefer young women whose reproductive value is high while women prefer men who are slightly older than themselves, that women seek resources while men seek physical attractiveness and that women are choosier than men.

How does Daly and Wilson’s (1983) study support Triver’s theory of relationship formation as a result of evolutionary influences?

Daly and Wilson (1983) found that 48% of married men would like to engage in extramarital sex compared to 5% of women.

How does Clark and Hatfield’s (1989) study support Triver’s theory of relationship formation as a result of evolutionary influences?

Clark and Hatfield (1989) asked 96 students “would you go to bed with me?”. No females said ‘yes’ compared to 75% of men.