Evolution & Sexual Selection: Exploring Attractiveness and Mate Preference

1. Evolution & Sexual Selection

2. Success Criteria How will I know if I am learning?

3. Rank these women in order of Attractiveness • Rank these women in order of attractiveness.

4. Attractiveness • What are considered to be attractive and unattractive traits in women?

5. Rank these men in order of Attractiveness • Rank these men in order of attractiveness.

6. Attractiveness • What are considered to be attractive and unattractive traits in men?

7. 5:00 Activity: Recall 3 people either you find attractive at the moment, or have in the past, and list down all the things that attracted you to those people... Now on the Post-It notes I have given you, write down 1 physical characteristic you find attractive. You should have a total of 5 characteristics, one on each Post-It. When you have written them down (big & clear) I want you to come and put them up on the board. When you go up, if someone else has the same characteristic, then place yours in the same place, like the ones below. Eyes Eyes SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

8. Beautiful eyes Strong arms & legs These are mine... • Good teeth Broad Chest (quite hairy) Nice Hair SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

9. Attractiveness It would be nice to think that the formation of a relationship relied on more than just physical attractiveness. However, the importance of beauty should not be underestimated. • Walster(1966) arranged for a huge blind date event where students were paired up with a stranger. • Midway through the date, they were separated and asked what they thought of their date. • Attractiveness was the only significant predictor of how highly someone was rated.

10. Evolutionary AO1

11. Evolution?? 1:00 What is Evolution? How can we apply this to relationships? SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

12. Each living thing (organism) has a set of characteristics encoded by its genes The organism inherits its genes from its parent(s) Variations between organisms are caused by variations in the genotype Evolution SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

13. Environment Organism Organism has particular characteristics determined by its genes Environment contains a range of opportunities and threats (e.g. food sources, predators) Evolution SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

14. Characteristics evolve because they have been passed from one generation to the next via the genes • This requires the organism: • To live to reproductive age • To mate successfully • To ensure the offspring’s survival Evolution! Which bit is an ‘attraction’ essay focused on? SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

15. Socio-biological explanation • Socio-biology therefore is a field of psychology which aims to explain social behaviour in evolutionary terms • A behaviour is said to be adaptive if it leads to increased survival and reproduction of an organism. • This means that the gene which causes this behaviour will be passed on to the next generation. • It is argued that most behaviour is adaptive, otherwise the organism would not have lived long enough to pass the genes on. • Sociobiological (evolutionary) explanations of attractiveness therefore see attraction as an adaptive behaviour which leads to increased reproduction and survival. • Men and women should seek out partners who are likely to produce healthy children.

16. Key Term ALERT!!! 2:00 What’s the difference between Natural & Sexual Selection? Extension: How might these terms explain relationships? (SC:E) SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

17. Natural selection • Ability to survive in a particular environment (fitness) • Sexual selection • Ability to attract/find a mate and reproduce successfully • These are separate processes – the characteristics that facilitate reproduction do not necessarily increase survival chances Natural & Sexual Selection SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

18. In many species, males have characteristics (e.g. brighter colouration, exaggerated tails) that serve to attract females Suggests that males are competing for the attention of females Suggests that, in many species, females do the choosing Sexual Dimorphism SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

19. Usually males compete with each other for ‘access’ to members of the opposite sex – victors mate and pass on their genes – winning traits are passed on to the next generation. Intra-Sexual Selection 3:00 Summarise in 5 little words! SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_H3n2iT3co • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTKKFm5rC2Q&playnext=1&list=PL8CDA757F299970C2 Do they? SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

21. The preferences of one sex (usually females) for members of the opposite sex who possess certain qualities. Humans are ‘pre-programmed’ to attend to displays of these important indicators and mate with the individuals who possess them. E.g. if females prefer tall males – over time, the number of tall males would increase! Inter-Sexual Selection 3:00 Summarise in 5 little words! SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

22. If sexual selection is important in effecting human reproductive behaviour, we should expect that the same physical characteristics are attractive to most people and that they signal fertility. Also, that sex differences in reproductive behaviour are reasonably consistent across different cultures. Inter-Sexual Selection So what should these be signalling? What about culture? SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlJw2_NnVLo&feature=channel What do we find attractive? 2:00 What are the differences in what men and women want in a mate? How does this relate to evolution? SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

24. So What Do We Want?

25. The Research Evidence: What Men & Women want: Franzoi & Herzog (1987) • Men were predominantly concerned with weight Women like men with a firm bum and large chest SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

26. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6_Ea5G8_KI 2.27 Biology Of Love 01 SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

27. Singh(1993) Men like women with a low waist to hip ratio. Slimmest part of your waist Widest part of your hips The Research Evidence: What Men & Women want: SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

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

29. The Research Evidence: What Men & Women want: According to Cunningham (1986) Men like women with Childlike faces Large and widely separated eyes Small nose and chin Women like men with Mature faces Square jaw Thin lips Small eyes SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

30. The Research Evidence: What Men & Women want: SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

31. What Strategies Do We Use?

32. Using the textbook to help you: Summarise Short Term Mating preferences in Men & Women. Summarise Long Term Mating preferences in Men & Women. Each of your summaries must include either the term ‘natural selection’ or ‘sexual selection.’ Mating Strategies 10:00 Be prepared to feedback to the class! SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies

33. Notes 5:00 1) Heading:Today’s Date, Unit & Topic 2) Write a summary of your learning today in less than 100 words. What have you learned ? 3) Considering what you have written in stage 2, which of the success criteria have you met? Write down them down along with the grade! SC= E: Define Key Terms, C: Explain terms,A: Apply to mating strategies