Easy to read, detailed exam notes for the Relationship topic in AQA Psychology A level. Written by a four A* student. Covers the entire memory spec with detailed examples, positives and negatives and full evaluations.
Relationships
The Relationship between sexual selection and reproductive behaviour
Evolutionary approaches state that animals are motivated to select a ‘mate’ with the best
possible genes who will best be able to ensure the offspring’s future health and survival.
Anisogamy
two different gametes coming together to reproduce
Men have sperm cells, which are able to reproduce quickly with little energy
expenditure and once they start being produced, they do not usually stop until the
man dies.
Female gametes are, much less plentiful - limited time frame and require much more
energy to produce.
This difference (anisogamy) means that men and women use different strategies
when choosing their partners.
Inter-sexual Selection – Preferred by females
Choices based on a specific characteristic in the other gender: e.g. peahens choosing
peacocks with larger tails. As a result, peacock tails become larger across the population
because peacocks with larger tails will mate more, thus passing these characteristics on.
Females lose more resources than men if bad choice - pickier about who they select.
genetically fit
offer the maximum resources to raise their offspring (a man who will remain by her
side as the child grows to protect them both and potentially provide more children).
physical health
high status individual who controls resources within the social group. Thus male
partners are able to protect, provide and control food and resources.
Although this ability may have equated to muscular strength in our evolutionary
past, in modern society it is more likely to relate to occupation, social class and
wealth.
If they have made a good choice, then their offspring will inherit the positive features of
their father and are therefore also more likely to be chosen by women or men in the next
generation.
Intra-sexual Selection – Preferred by males
, Anisogamy suggests that men’s best evolutionary strategy is to have as many partners as
possible. Men must compete with other males to present themselves as the most attractive
mate - encouraging features such as muscles which indicate to the opposite sex an ability to
protect both them and their offspring.
Intrasexual selection refers to competition between members of the same sex for access to
a mate of the opposite sex.
EXAMPLES
Buss (1989) - survey - over 10,000 adults in 33 countries
females reported valuing resource-based characteristics when choosing a
male (such as their jobs)
men valued good looks and preferred younger partners more than females
did.
POSITIVES
Size and scale of study
NEGATIVES
questionnaires - social desirability bias
77% of participants were from Western industrial nations which means Buss might
have been measuring the effects of culture rather than an evolutionary determined
behaviour.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clark and Hatfield (1989) - male and female psychology students - approach fellow
students of Florida State University - ask them for one of three things; to go on a
date, to go back to their apartment, or to go to bed with them.
About 50% (m&w) agreed to the date
69% of men agreed to visit the apartment and 75% agreed to go to bed
Only 6% of women agreed to go to the apartment and 0% accepted the more
intimate offer
POSITIVES
Ecological validity
EVALUATION - The evolutionary approach is determinist - little free-will in partner choice.
However, everyday experience tells us we have do some control over our preferences.
Evolutionary approaches to mate preferences are socially sensitive in that they promote
traditional (sexist) views regarding what are ‘natural’ male and female roles and
behaviours.
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