PSY 306 TEST 1 STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (RATED A+)
Charles Darwin Sexual Selection Theory - ANSWERThe evolution of characteristics
because of their mating benefits, rather than survival benefits.
" Evolutionary Psychology
o One Form Competition - *same-sex competition* where the outcome of the contest
gives the winner greater sexual access to members of the opposite sex.
o Second Form *Preferences* - Members of one sex choose a mate based on their
preferences for particular qualities in that mate. The desired characteristics evolve
(increase in frequency over time)
Evolutionary Psychology - ANSWERUnderlying psychological mechanisms that were
the products of evolution, adaptations that would help to explain both the
extraordinary flexibility of human behavior and the active mating strategies women
and men pursue.
(Sought to answer if men desire youth and physical attractiveness in a mate and
whether women desire status and economic security)
Why would Men Commit? - ANSWERo Another way in which men benefited from
sustained commitment to one women was by increasing the odds that he would be
the father of any children she bore - upping his probability of genetic paternity.
(exclusive sexual access)
o A further benefit of committing to one woman was the increased survival and
reproductive success of the man's children. (among the Ache of Paraguay when a
man dies in a club fight, the other villagers often make a collective decision to kill his
children)
Sexual Strategies - ANSWEREach sexual strategy is tailored to a specific adaptive
problem, such as identifying a desirable mate or besting competitors in attracting a
mate. Underlying each sexual strategy are psychological adaptations, such as
Gender Identity - ANSWERwhether one subjectively feels like a man or woman,
feels like both or neither
Sexual Behavior - ANSWERthe gender of the individuals with whom one actually has
sex with
o Some individuals may be primarily attracted to one sex but engage in sexual
behavior with the other sex.
o Male and female sexual orientation have different natures and developmental
trajectories.
, preferences for a particular mate, feelings of love, desire for sex, or turbulent
emotions such as sexual jealousy. (Sexual strategies do not require conscious
planning). (Most human sexual strategies are most successfully carried out without
the awareness of the actor)
Origins of Sexual Desire - ANSWERHumans whose preferences ever so slightly
tilted them toward nutritious objects survived more often than their counterparts and
hence passed their eating proclivities to offspring.
Attracting a Mate - ANSWERThroughout the animal world, males typically compete
more fiercely than females for mates, and in many species, males are certainly more
ostentatious and obvious in their competition. Female competition is also intense.
Among patas monlkeys and gelada baboons, females harass copulating pairs in
order to interfere with the mating success of rival females. "When women kiss, it
always reminds one of prize fighters shaking hands". -H. L. Mencken
Retaining a Mate - ANSWERThe Plecia nearctica (lovebug), will remain in copulatory
embrace as long as 3 days to prevent other males from fertilizing her eggs. Ancestral
men who were indifferent to the sexual infidelities of their mates risked compromising
their paternity. Ancestral women did not risk the loss of parenthood if their mates had
affairs, because maternity has always been 100% certain. However, if her mate was
philandering she risked losing his resources, commitment and investment in her and
her children.
o One psychological strategy that evolved to combat infidelity was jealousy. Females
who became enraged at signs of their mate's infidelity had a higher chance at
retaining their mate.
Jealousy has two responses - ANSWER" 1) Vigilance - following a lover, call
unexpectedly, read texts.
" 2) Violence - threatening a rival or attacking a rival
Strategic interference - ANSWERMen and women differ in how long and how well
they need to know someone before the consent to have sex. Men cannot fulfill their
short-term wishes without simultaneously interfering with women's long-term goals.
Sexual Orientation - ANSWER"Heterosexual orientation is a paradigmatic
psychological adaptation". -Micheal Bailey. Around 96-97% of men are heterosexual
and 98-99% of women are heterosexual.
o 1. Twin studies show that sexual orientation is partially genetically based
o 2. Other studies show beyond a reasonable doubt that homosexual men have
decisively lower rate of reproduction than heterosexual men.
Primary Sexual Orientation - ANSWERrefers to whom one is sexually attracted to
(men, women, both (bi) or neither (asexual)
LUG Phenomenon - ANSWER" Male tend to develop sexual orientation early and
rarely change over life.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (RATED A+)
Charles Darwin Sexual Selection Theory - ANSWERThe evolution of characteristics
because of their mating benefits, rather than survival benefits.
" Evolutionary Psychology
o One Form Competition - *same-sex competition* where the outcome of the contest
gives the winner greater sexual access to members of the opposite sex.
o Second Form *Preferences* - Members of one sex choose a mate based on their
preferences for particular qualities in that mate. The desired characteristics evolve
(increase in frequency over time)
Evolutionary Psychology - ANSWERUnderlying psychological mechanisms that were
the products of evolution, adaptations that would help to explain both the
extraordinary flexibility of human behavior and the active mating strategies women
and men pursue.
(Sought to answer if men desire youth and physical attractiveness in a mate and
whether women desire status and economic security)
Why would Men Commit? - ANSWERo Another way in which men benefited from
sustained commitment to one women was by increasing the odds that he would be
the father of any children she bore - upping his probability of genetic paternity.
(exclusive sexual access)
o A further benefit of committing to one woman was the increased survival and
reproductive success of the man's children. (among the Ache of Paraguay when a
man dies in a club fight, the other villagers often make a collective decision to kill his
children)
Sexual Strategies - ANSWEREach sexual strategy is tailored to a specific adaptive
problem, such as identifying a desirable mate or besting competitors in attracting a
mate. Underlying each sexual strategy are psychological adaptations, such as
Gender Identity - ANSWERwhether one subjectively feels like a man or woman,
feels like both or neither
Sexual Behavior - ANSWERthe gender of the individuals with whom one actually has
sex with
o Some individuals may be primarily attracted to one sex but engage in sexual
behavior with the other sex.
o Male and female sexual orientation have different natures and developmental
trajectories.
, preferences for a particular mate, feelings of love, desire for sex, or turbulent
emotions such as sexual jealousy. (Sexual strategies do not require conscious
planning). (Most human sexual strategies are most successfully carried out without
the awareness of the actor)
Origins of Sexual Desire - ANSWERHumans whose preferences ever so slightly
tilted them toward nutritious objects survived more often than their counterparts and
hence passed their eating proclivities to offspring.
Attracting a Mate - ANSWERThroughout the animal world, males typically compete
more fiercely than females for mates, and in many species, males are certainly more
ostentatious and obvious in their competition. Female competition is also intense.
Among patas monlkeys and gelada baboons, females harass copulating pairs in
order to interfere with the mating success of rival females. "When women kiss, it
always reminds one of prize fighters shaking hands". -H. L. Mencken
Retaining a Mate - ANSWERThe Plecia nearctica (lovebug), will remain in copulatory
embrace as long as 3 days to prevent other males from fertilizing her eggs. Ancestral
men who were indifferent to the sexual infidelities of their mates risked compromising
their paternity. Ancestral women did not risk the loss of parenthood if their mates had
affairs, because maternity has always been 100% certain. However, if her mate was
philandering she risked losing his resources, commitment and investment in her and
her children.
o One psychological strategy that evolved to combat infidelity was jealousy. Females
who became enraged at signs of their mate's infidelity had a higher chance at
retaining their mate.
Jealousy has two responses - ANSWER" 1) Vigilance - following a lover, call
unexpectedly, read texts.
" 2) Violence - threatening a rival or attacking a rival
Strategic interference - ANSWERMen and women differ in how long and how well
they need to know someone before the consent to have sex. Men cannot fulfill their
short-term wishes without simultaneously interfering with women's long-term goals.
Sexual Orientation - ANSWER"Heterosexual orientation is a paradigmatic
psychological adaptation". -Micheal Bailey. Around 96-97% of men are heterosexual
and 98-99% of women are heterosexual.
o 1. Twin studies show that sexual orientation is partially genetically based
o 2. Other studies show beyond a reasonable doubt that homosexual men have
decisively lower rate of reproduction than heterosexual men.
Primary Sexual Orientation - ANSWERrefers to whom one is sexually attracted to
(men, women, both (bi) or neither (asexual)
LUG Phenomenon - ANSWER" Male tend to develop sexual orientation early and
rarely change over life.
