SEXUAL SELECTION AND HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR

SEXUAL SELECTION AND HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR

1. SELECTING A MATE

   • CUNNINGHAM'S ATTRACTIVE FEATURES FOR FEMALE FACES
     • Features associated with young children - large eyes, small noses and chins.
     • Features associated with maturity - prominent cheekbones & narrow cheeks
     • Dilated pupils and wide smiles
   • WAYNFORTH'S ATTRACTIVE FEATURES FOR MALE FACES
     • Square jaw, ridged eyebrows, small eyes and a symmetrical face.
   • WAYNFORTH & DUNBAR
     • 900 personal ads, 4 USA newspapers.
     • 42% of males requested youthful mate vs 25% of women.
     • 44% of males requested physical attraction vs 22% of women.
     • Males more likely to advertise power and money vs 34% of them offered attractiveness vs 50% of women.
   • BUSS
     • Cross-cultural study, 37 culture groups, 6 different continents, over 10,000 people, of different religions, ethnicity and economic groups.
     • Sampling procedures differed dependant on country.
     • Women, more than men, value earning potential = 36 (97%)
     • Men, more than women, value physical attributes = 34 (92%)
     • Women, more than men, value ambition and industriousness = 29 (78%)
     • Men, more than women, value chastity = 23 (62%)
     • Men prefer women younger than themselves = 37 (100%)

2. DIFFERENCES IN REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR

   • CLARK & HATFIELD
     • Got a team of researchers (posing as students), approach sample of M&F students on campus and ask them one of three requests
       • To go out with them that night
       • To go back to their house with them
       • To have sex with them
       • 50% of M&F agreed to go out with stranger
       • 69% of males agreed to go back to strangers house
       • 0% of females agreed to have sex with stranger
       • 75% of males agreed to have sex with stranger
   • BUSS & SCHMITT
     • Studied sexual strategies, ask people how many sexual partners they would like over next 2 years and over their lifetime.
       • Over the next 2 years - Males 8 and Females 1
       • Over their lifetime - Males 18 and Females 4/5

3. PARENTAL INVESTMENT

   • TRIVERS
     • Gender differences in sexual behaviour have evolved due to different amounts of parental investment.
     • Male investment is small, unlimited amount of sperm, remains fertile throughout life, limited amount of availability of women.
     • Female investment is high, limited eggs, reproductive life of 30 years, carry baby for 9months, give birth, breast feed for up to 2 years.
   • BUSS
     • Researched sexual jealousy. Asked M&F students to imagine current gf/bf sleeping with someone else or being in love with someone else. Wired up to measure stress response.
     • Males became more distressed at thought of partner being sexually unfaithful.
       • A man whose mate is unfaithful risks in offspring that are not his.
     • Females became more distressed at thought of partner being in love with someone else.
       • A women whose mate is unfaithful risks having resources directed away from her and family.
   • PARENTAL CERTAINTY
     • Females have higher investment, could lead to parental uncertainty for the male as they do not invest as much.
     • DALY & WILSON
       • Recorded convo's in a maternity ward, mothers tried to strengthen bond between father and son by commenting on physical similarities to increased parental certainty.
   • ANDERSON
     • Measured resources invested by fathers and stepfathers such as time spent with child and financial support given
     • Men did not appear to discriminate between stepchildren and their own bio offspring.

Images and files in the map