sexual selection

sexual selection

1. form of natural selection

   • variation in physical and psychological characteristics affects access to mates
     • males access to more mates = more more offspring
       • higher quality mates = better care
         • thus quantity and quality affects number of viable offspring who in turn reproduce and pass on genes
   • intrasexual selection = competition for mates (usually between males)
   • intersexual selection (studied by evolutionary psychologises) = mate selection based on physical characteristics (peacock train) or behavioural characteristic (defence of territory)
     • if characteristics which promote successful reproduction are genetic - genes coding for them will be passed on to next generation
       • individuals without them would have lees reproductive success on so genes lost from pool

2. males and females have different reproductive strategies

   • males increase success by more mates
   • females select mate with adaptive resources and characteristics
   • ideas demonstrate that adaptations evolve via sexual and natural selection
     • suggest explanations of male/female differences in human non-human behaviour