Sexual selection can be used to explain certain characteristics or behaviours which increase an individual’s reproductive success. These characteristics may get exaggerated over evolutionary time. In humans, these characteristics may include good physical and mental health, as well as physical features such as good looks etc. these characteristics are attractive because they show an ability to reproduce and pass on these genes to offspring. There are two types of sexual selection, intrasexual and intersexual. Intrasexual selection is the evolution of characteristics that enable an individual to compete with their rivals whereas intersexual selection is the evolution of characteristics that are attractive to a mate. An example of this would be a peacock’s tail. The peacock with the ‘best’ tail (longest and brightest etc.) is considered to be more attractive to the peahen and therefore he is more likely to reproduce and pass on his genes to the next generation. Buss, 1989, found evidence to support this. Over 10000 participants across 37 different cultures took part in his study on differences in intersexual selection. Questionnaires were given to the participants, asking about preferences for variables such as marriage, age differences, characteristics etc. He found that women valued qualities such as ambition and industriousness in men – qualities showing their financial potential. He also found that men valued youth and physical attractiveness more highly than women. This suggests that males look for qualities associated with fertility in line with evolutionary predictions. He concluded that women have evolved to select mates who can provide resources for themselves and their offspring. Buss’ study had over 10000 participants and therefore has credibility, however the participants may have not given a truthful answer and instead given one they thought would appear more…
Evolutionary theory states that body symmetry and symmetrical faces are desired characteristics, Cartwright (2000) found that women who have symmetrical breasts are more fertile than those with asymmetrical breasts. This supports the idea that body symmetry indicates reproductive fitness which leads to evolved characteristics, and allows women to have high self-esteem. Furthermore, other than symmetrical body and face structures males use physical attractiveness to judge how fit a female is to reproduce. Men look of more attractive females however females look for men who can provide good state of wealth. This is due to men only looking for the characteristics of reproduction and successive care of children from females. Although men and women both look into different characteristic, females are choosier since they have a larger investment and therefore more to lose. However, the study cannot be supported since a disadvantage of this study is that female may alter the appearance in order to seem young and fertile, while men may also lie and exaggerate on the amount of…
Attraction and the formation of relationships in today’s society is an everyday happening for most people and therefor it’s not surprising that numerous amounts of psychological research into interpersonal and social relationships has centred on romantic relationships. Researchers have found a number of likely factors that play a vital role in the formation of relationships, these being physical attractiveness, proximity, attitude similarity, demographic similarity and similarity in personality. Physical attractiveness in the Western World is of great importance and research has shown that being physically attractive is one of the primary determinants of whether or not you develop a relationship with someone. Investigations have shown that physical attractiveness makes people more popular and applies to both platonic and romantic relationships. A study done by Brigham (1971) found that physically attractive individuals are thought of as being generally attractive and being sociable, exciting, interesting, poised and sexually warm. Cunningham (1986) examined the particular features of men and women that make them attractive to the opposite sex and found that in relation to women what men found most attractive were large eyes, small eyes and a small chin, whereas for men, women looked for square jaws, small eyes and thin lips in terms of attraction.…
The play Real Women Have Curves by Josephina Lopez, and the film by director Patricia Cardoso, portray Mexican culture differently but both manage to perpetuate stereotypes. They do this by showing how Mexicans can be very family oriented, are paranoid immigrants, and put work before schooling. These factors shown by the play and film are crucial because they help the audience fabricate stereotypes about Mexican culture.…
Greeks used a formula that is often found in nature called the Golden Ratio, to…
According to the data evidence, males have a higher preference for youthful partners than females do and that an increase in age causes a decrease in physical attractiveness, especially for females. Jones argues that humans have a universal adaptive response to age; we associate growing older as being an unattractive quality which reduces fecundity. Furthermore, Jones argues that in addition to being a universal trait of female attractiveness, a major correlate of female fecundity is waist-to-hip ratio, which is the ratio of the circumference of the narrowest part of the waist and the widest point in the hips. Jones makes the claim that because fat distribution is sensitive to ratios of estrogen to androgen, a high estrogen/androgen ratio causing a low waist-to-hip ratio is therefore associated with high levels of ovarian function and fecundity. Therefore Jones’ makes the critical argument that the “strong negative association between waist-to-hip ratio and female fecundity makes low waist-to-hip ratio a good candidate for a universal criterion of female attractiveness” (Jones 1996:97).…
The desire of obtaining a college education could lead a person into making a significant decision, which could optimally transform the relationship they have with their family members. As demonstrated in Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez, and in the play Real Woman Have Curves by Josefina Lopez. Both Rodriguez and Lopez are faced with an important decision when they decide to further their education. Coming from a similar family background, both Rodriguez and Lopez’s parents did not have the opportunity of obtaining a college education. Rodriguez and Lopez both desire to pursue their goals and live a better life, district from the one their parents live. The eagerness for success, and a better lifestyle draws both the protagonist Richard…
Adam’s Rib, a 1949 film features Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in a comedy with a twist where there almost seems to be an anticlimax. The main theme throughout the movie remains shedding light on gender inequality (which in the context of 1949 is very much relevant) as well as the importance of following the letter of law as these two appear seemingly conflicted in the beginning, but in the end it is established that the law should be unbiased and no one should have the right to injure/harm or do any act in furtherance of this. In this time, keeping the depiction in mind, there was no concept of grave and sudden provocation making the act culpable homicide not amounting to murder but, that the act in this case was either just an assault…
The data tables in Appendix A show a significant difference between attraction of WHR and skin tone. However, when the respondent was asked what women they prefer, over 60% said body shape despite that, when not asked, they indicated that they preferred skin tone over WHR. Thus, if the respondent were constantly presented the question, I would have to reject my hypothesis. However, when respondent is not prompted constantly, then I would have to accept my hypothesis that skin tone matters more than…
The Paleolithic era in our worlds history was a difficult time for everyone, but for women, it became more and more difficult. Hunting and gathering society’s were most prevalent, although, later on the early formation of cities and larger community’s began to emerge. Ones job in the Paleolithic era would most likely consist of gathering food and protecting the small group he or she belonged to. Just surviving would have been a full time job in many of the harsh climates people inhabited.…
* Both men and women look for physical attractiveness and healthy as moist important for a sexual partner…
The second major difference that men and women encounter in terms of body image is ways to enhance physical body parts to look like Hollywood actors or models. For instance men are less challenged to perform surgical procedures to change they body appearance, whereas women are normally willing to bear pain to reach them. The author contends, “the size of pants I wear seems to say something about my sexual appeal and sexual preference.” (Shanker 54). Further more women spend more time and money on average, shopping for body hugging clothing and face and…
Women are expected to be thin, have long legs, small feet, a large chest, perfect skin and somewhat of a pear bodied shape.…
METABOLIC SYNDROME LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of lecture students should know – Definition of Metabolic Syndrome – Visceral obesity is an indicator of the syndrome and an independent marker for CVD – Current and some potential future treatment options. METABOLIC SYNDROME CONCEPT (Not New) • 1923 - Kylin first to describe the clustering of hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia • 1936 - Himsworth first reported Insulin insensitivity in diabetics • 1965 - Yalow and Berson developed insulin assay and correlated insulin levels & glucose lowering effects in resistant and non-resistant individuals METABOLIC SYNDROME CONCEPT • 1988 - Reaven in his Banting lecture at the ADA meeting…
Men look for partners who are physically attractive and women are more interested in resources a partner could provide. This may be due to a male selecting a woman who is healthier and therefore more fertile, the healthier the woman the more attractive she seems. While women seek signs of fertility and heath in a partner they are more concerned about resources, for example wealth, intelligence and strength. Women therefor seek to enhance their looks and men advertise their status. This is confirmed by Waynforth and Dunbar who used ads to assess what men and women seek and advertise. They found that 44% of men seek a physically attractive partner compared to 22% of…