The Evolution of Human Mate Choice
Because the point of this assignment is to engage with the material you are learning, not merely repeat it, you will need to find and reference at least TWO empirical articles that you have gleaned from the literature yourself (that is, two sources other than textbook and the lectures). In your search for sources, three very useful tools are “Google Scholar”, “PsycInfo” and “Web of Science”. Wikipedia is not an acceptable source, though you may find useful sources in the “References” lists of Wikipedia articles. Do you understand the relevant theories; can you tell what kinds of evidence support or undermine each theory? Have you chosen appropriate sources? What is the clarity of your expression?
You will be evaluated on the coherence and rigor of your analysis—do you understand the relevant theories; can you tell what kinds of evidence support or undermine each theory? Have you chosen appropriate sources? What is the clarity of your expression? Maximum length for the essay is 1,000 words (not including your References Cited section, which you must have). Thus you will need to plan so that you are not only clear, but also concise.
Please submit your assignment in .docx format. Essays must be 12pt font, double-spaced, with page numbers. For citations, please use APA format.
Prompt: The evolution of human mate choice.
A. Across mammals in general, reproductive success is generally limited by different factors in males and females. Explain what this means. What consequences does this difference have for the reproductive strategies of the two sexes? (5 pts)
B. To what extent does this apply to humans? (5 pt)
C. Considering the two things that you can get from a mate (i.e., genes and/or investment), identify one domain where the sexes are expected to choose mates by similar criteria and one where they are expected to have different criteria. Refer only to humans for part C. (5 pts)
D. For each, explain the evolutionary basis for your predictions (i.e., Why would the sexes evolve these similar or different preferences?). (5 pts)
The grading rubric will evaluate how proficiently you respond to each of these questions, and will also consider whether you included two outside sources (5 points) and the overall organization and coherence of your writing (5 points).
The Evolution of Human Mate Choice
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Reproduction success refers to the ability of individual couples to produce several offspring per breeding session; in animals, especially mammals, males and females face different external and internal factors that limit their ability to reproduce successfully. In mammals, competition between males to access females is a limiting factor; moreover, for females, the innate shyness and selective nature further complicate the chances of successful breeding (Foote & Carney, 1988). In the same way, the duration of the spermatogenic cycle is a limiting factor in male mammals. The limited ovulation rate in females curtails their ability to produce many babies as less ova leads to less fertilization (Foote & Carney, 1988). These intrinsic factors make mammals’ breeding a highly restrictive process. In the same way, the role of environmental factors in limiting reproductive success is a well-established fact, especially in cases of mammals. For instance, temperature, humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, nutrition, and social interaction limit males and females’ capacity to interbreed and produce fertile offspring (Ungerfeld & Bielli, 2012). These factors significantly influence male and female reproductive strategies as they change their breeding preferences, locations, and time. The mammals living in the temperate zone set their breeding season in spring to avoid temperature effects; likewise, most mammals avoid winter as a breeding season due to the limited availability