PSYA3 - Relationships

To Start… What connects these two images..?

PSYA3 - Relationships

In many species, males have characteristics (e.g. brighter colouration, exaggerated tails) that serve to attract females (just like Peacocks advertise their potential as a potential mate).

Suggests that males are competing for the attention of females

Suggests that, in many species, females do the choosing

Sexual Dimorphism

SC = E: Define Dimorphism, C: Apply to examples A: Create perfect mate

PSYA3 - Relationships

What is Sexual Selection?SS = the processes through which men & women attempt to maximise their chances of reproductive success

In doing this, we consider what we need from the opposite sex to do this and therefore also what we want from the opposite sex…

TWO key processes are involved;

INTRASEXUAL selection = mate competition

INTERSEXUAL selection = mate choice

Since reproduction is more important

than survival (I.e. natural selection)

Even though they don’t necessarily aid our survival

SC = E: Define Dimorphism, C: Apply to examples A: Create perfect mate

PSYA3 - Relationships

What characteristics would indicate good resources?

What characteristics would indicate good genes?

What characteristics would indicate good parents?

Economic & financial security, good job, well educated, interpersonal skills, status, etc

Good health, so skin, hair, weight, facial symmetry, BUT also traits that are disadvantaged (think about the peacock’s tail)

Good skills, so caring, affectionate, strong, protective, ability to provide, nurture, etc

Intersexual Selection: Mate Choice

SC = E: Define Dimorphism, C: Apply to examples A: Create perfect mate

There is a lot of agreement between people about whether someone is physically attractive. Physical attractiveness is often the first thing we observe about a stranger.

However, there are differences in what is perceived to be attractive in men and women.

Cunningham (1986) showed participants pictures of men and women, and asked them to rate the physical attractiveness of them.

Attractiveness

Cunningham (1986) found that certain features acquired high attractiveness ratings among the ppts, including neonate features such as

higher and wider eyes greater distance between eyes a smaller chin and a smaller nose size.

Highly attractive mature features were prominent cheek bones and a narrower face.

high eyebrows large smiles and dilated pupils –these are expressive

features, also linked to attractiveness

Attractiveness

“ baby face you’ve got the cutest little baby face ”

PSYA3 - Relationships

Singh(1993) Men like women with a low waist to hip ratio.

Slimmest part of your waistWidest part of your hips

The Research Evidence:What Men & Women want:

SC = E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms, A: Apply to mating strategies

PSYA3 - Relationships

Buss (1989)

‘Sex differences in human mate preferences’

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

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How can I find out

about male and female

mate preferences

THIS IS BUSS…

…HE’S INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT MEN AND WOMEN GO FOR IN A MATE

I know, I’ll do a

questionnaire

PSYA3 - Relationships

Fill in your age,

gender and marital status

17, Female, single

41, Male, single

32, Female, Married

25, Male, single

PSYA3 - Relationships

Buss also asked participants to say…

At what age they wanted to marry

How big they like the age gap to be between themselves and their partner

How many children they want

How important 18 characteristics were to them, including… Good job Good looks Chastity Ambition

Which characteristics were most desirable including… Good earning capacity Physical attractiveness

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

PSYA3 - Relationships

Let’s go and see if we get

different results in other cultures

Let’s go to Europe, America,

Africa, Iran, New Zealand,

and many more…

Pack your bags and

hold tight…

PSYA3 - RelationshipsMANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE WERE USED…

…AND THEY WERE GAINED USING DIFFERENT SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

PSYA3 - Relationships

Buss used 37 samples from 33 countries

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

PSYA3 - RelationshipsIn all 37

samples men rated good

looks in their mate more

than women

In all 37 samples

males and females

preferred the male to be

older

In 36/37 samples

women rated good financial

prospects higher than

men did

PSYA3 - Relationships

Good financial prospects was rated low in

the Netherlands and Great

BritainThis was high in Indonesia and

Nigeria

In 34 samples we rated

ambition as more

important than men did

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Good looks were

particularly important for

men in Bulgaria and

Nigeria

In Scandinavian

countries chastity was

seen as irrelevant

But China, India and

Indonesia see this as

important

PSYA3 - Relationships

Wow, that was a big

study! Time for a cup of tea!

PSYA3 - Relationships

Research the following studies (3 min)You will describe the study to the

other group. The other group will evaluate it back to you

1) Clarke & Hatfield (1989) 2) Penton-Voak et al (1999) 3)Miller (2007)

Building AO2 Evidence

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

PSYA3 - Relationships

Now consider the following questions and write out your answers/ideas…

In Buss’ study, men showed a distinct preference for younger women. It was suggested that this was because youth was an indicator of fertility. However are there any other explanations for a male preference for younger mates?

What is the problem of Homosexuality for this theory?

What is the problem of Contraception for this theory?

Building AO2

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

PSYA3 - Relationships

Building Good IDA

1) How could this explanation be gender biased? (Can a man be sexually promiscuous without willing females?)

2) Wilson: ‘evolutionary psychology simply points out the genes are a strong guide to our behaviour.’ Does this suggest nature or nurture? Determinism or free will?

3) BUT Honeybourne, considered that evolutionary psychology was a form of biological Calvinism whereby your genetics acted as a deterministic factor. Your genes pre-set all of your behaviour, disregarding the role of free will.

4) Rose, a prominent critic of evolutionary psychology, has argued that it is too concerned with the past and thus presents a “Flinstone’s View” of mankind. What could this mean?

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

PSYA3 - RelationshipsBuilding Good IDA: ApproachesWhat might the following psychologists say about sexual selection as an approach to relationships?

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

FreudPavlov

PSYA3 - Relationships

Extension: PEEL Create a PEEL for one Point of Sexual Selection as a theory of relationships….

Look at the mark scheme for a 24

marker and answer the questions..

POINT Make your point.

EVIDENCE Support it with psychological

research.

EXPLAIN Explain what the research shows or

suggests.

LINK Link it back to your point or the question.

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

PSYA3 - Relationships

Critical Commentary

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

Imagine you were another psychologist looking at the theory of Sexual Selection and it’s influence on relationships. You want to weigh up the pro’s and con’s.

Consider what we have learned and write a passage evaluating Sexual Selection as a theory of relationships.

Consider: 1) Evidence 2) A02 3) IDA (Synoptic A02)4) Comparisons with other theories/approaches.

PSYA3 - Relationships

Homework

SC = E: Describe evidence, C: Evaluate using A02 A: Evaluate using good IDA

Discuss the relationship between sexual selection and human

reproductive behaviour.

(A01 = 8 A02/A03 = 16)

Due in one week today!