PSYCH-225 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: Physical Attractiveness, Slut, Psych
25 Sep 2020
School
Department
Course
Professor
Leo Ellis
Social Psych
Psych-225
● Evolutionary Approaches
○ We are a species like any other species and the main drive for us is wanting our
genes passed down through reproduction
○ Survival and reproduction are the main tenants in terms of sociobiology theory
○ “Differential Parental Investment”
■ Important sex differences in reproduction- men tend to get many women
pregnant and can have offspring for longer amounts of time but they are
historically less sure of their paternity. Men are not necessarily as invested
in their off spring, they don’t go through childbirth and carrying the baby.
Women go through physical changes and childbirth, they are 100% sure of
their maternity, have a limited window of fertility. Women are invested in
the survival of their offspring.
○ Sociobiology Effects
■ Mate preferences
● What do you value in a mate?
● Men and women wanted someone who loved them and they loved
● Men valued attractiveness higher than women- historically a sign
of good genes and that you can successfully endure childbirth
● Women value resource more than men- women are sure of their
maternity and they want someone who can provide for the survival
of the offspring
● Values in terms of age- women who are young want someone a
little bit older and men want a woman a little bit younger
○ As we age, men still value younger women and women still
value older men
○ Younger women are more fertile and older men have more
resources
● Everybody is attracted to people who are symmetrical – sign of
good genes
■ Jealousy (male sexual jealousy and homicide)
● People were hooked up to physiological response measures and
were told to visualize their partner either having sex with someone
else to falling in love with someone else
● Men were much more physically upset to imagine their partner
having sex with someone else- men fear their paternity
○ Men are more likely to have one night stand affairs-
planting the seed
● Women were much more upset when they imagined their partner
falling in love with someone else- don’t want their partner taking
their resources elsewhere
○ Women are more likely to have long lasting affairs- making
Document Summary
We are a species like any other species and the main drive for us is wanting our genes passed down through reproduction. Survival and reproduction are the main tenants in terms of sociobiology theory. Important sex differences in reproduction- men tend to get many women pregnant and can have offspring for longer amounts of time but they are historically less sure of their paternity. Men are not necessarily as invested in their off spring, they don"t go through childbirth and carrying the baby. Women go through physical changes and childbirth, they are 100% sure of their maternity, have a limited window of fertility. Women are invested in the survival of their offspring. Men and women wanted someone who loved them and they loved. Men valued attractiveness higher than women- historically a sign of good genes and that you can successfully endure childbirth.
