Evolutionary Psychology and Mating Strategies

Flashcards covering key concepts related to evolutionary psychology, parental investment theory, and sexual strategies theory.

Parental Investment Theory

The theory that explains how differences in parental investment lead to different mating strategies in males and females.

Parental Investment

Resources, time, and energy that a parent invests in an offspring, increasing its survival and reproductive chances while reducing the parent’s ability to invest in other offspring.

Consequences of Parental Investment Theory

Members of the more investing sex will be more selective in mate selection, while members of the less investing sex will compete more for mating opportunities.

Sexual Strategies Theory (SST)

Both females and males seek short- and long-term mating relationships where the reproductive benefit outweighs the cost.

SST: Males/Short-Term

Males are limited by the number of fertile women available and may face costs like STDs and competition.

SST: Females/Long-Term

Females are limited by resources and quality in long-term relationships and prefer men with resources and commitment.

SST: Males/Long-Term

Men engage in long-term relationships to pay the price for quality, lower competition, and have the opportunity for fatherhood.

SST: Females/Short-Term

Women engage in short-term relationships to gain access to quality genes, but face high costs like VD and bad reputation.

Maximizing Fitness

Mental processes and behavior are selected to maximize inclusive fitness, leading to strategies and preferences that are not necessarily conscious.

Competition for Mating

Competition for mating opportunities in mammals and humans is mainly among males due to parental investment.

Mating Behaviors

Individuals pursue mating behaviors that maximize the representation of their genes in the next generation.

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of how natural selection has shaped behavior and mental processes related to reproduction and survival.