Gender: Evolutionary Explanations of Gender

Question 1

Describe the division of labour in gender

Answer 1

The traditional idea of gender roles is of man as the hunter and woman as the gatherer and child-rearer.

Question 2

Describe a further adaptive advantage in division of labour

Answer 2

If a woman were to hunt there would have been a reduction in reproductive success and survivability. However women could contribute to providing food. This not only enhances reproductive success through complementary division labour, but it is also important in avoiding starvation - a further adaptive advantage.

Question 3

Describe the Neanderthal explanation and how it supports the evolutionary explanation

Answer 3

There is a lot of evidence which supports the evolutionary explanation, for example the extinction of the Neanderthals. The Neanderthals were a species of human who existed in ice-age in Europe and according to this theory, their extinction can be explained by their lack of gender roles. When they would hunt for food, both males and females hunted, leaving the children without comfort or protection. As a result the children died meaning the Neanderthal species didn’t survive. This highlights how important gender roles are in terms of one survival of a species as this theory suggests. The very fact women have evolved to be genetically more nurturing gives a huge benefit to us, as does the fact males are now mainly the providers for the family, allowing the children to be cared for; suggesting this theory’s explanation of gender roles in terms of the division of labour, to be correct.

Question 4

AID: Why is the evolutionary a deterministic approach to gender roles?

Answer 4

One criticism of this approach is that it is deterministic.
It suggests our genes specify that man naturally take the role of the hunter while women long to care to children.
However this explanation fails to take into account the view of the biological approach, which states that genes only predispose us to behave

Question 5

Describe Gender Differences in Mate Choice

Answer 5

Gender Differences in mate choice may also be related to adaptive reproductive strategies.

Question 6

Describe Men in Mate Choice

Answer 6

Men look for partners who are young and physically attractive; according to evolutionary psychologists this is because youth and many features deemed attractive (e.g. smooth skin) are indicators of fertility and health.

Question 7

Describe Women in Mate Choice

Answer 7

Females are more concerned with finding a partner who can provide resources, thus ensuring the survival of offspring.

Question 8

Who supported Mate Choice?

Answer 8

Buss

Question 9

Describe Buss’ findings

Answer 9

Buss supports the idea of Mate Choice as an adaptive strategy. He looked at 37 different cultures. The results supported predictions of the evolutionary theory.

Question 10

What did Buss find about women?

Answer 10

For example, women want good financial prospects, i.e. men with resources to provide for children.

Question 11

What did Buss find about men?

Answer 11

Men want physical attractiveness, which research has consistently confirmed to be linked with fertility and men. men also wanted younger women - an indication of fertility

Question 12

What does E-S stand for?

Answer 12

Empathising-Systemising Theory

Question 13

Who came up with E-S

Answer 13

Baron-Cohen

Question 14

What did the E-S theory suggest?

Answer 14

Baron-Cohen found that women are better are empathising (understanding other’s thoughts and feelings) while men are better at systemising (understanding and building systems). E-S theory proposes that this may be the result of selection pressures for males who develop better hunting strategies, and females, who are better at relating to their children.

Question 15

What is the E-S’ conclusion?

Answer 15

E-S theory suggests that these gender differences are adaptations which provide an evolutionary advantage.

Question 16

Who supports E-S theory?

Answer 16

Baron-Cohen

Question 17

What did Baron-Cohen find?

Answer 17

Baron-Cohen carried out a systemising questionnaire, which was developed to demonstrate different cognitive styles of men and women. It supported E-S theory in finding the 83% of males are systematisers and a similar proportion of women are sympathisers.

Question 18

Describe Stress responses with women in Gender Roles

Answer 18

Women may also be more focussed than men on interpersonal concerns due to the different challenges faced by men and women.

Question 19

How did males deal with threats in the past?

Answer 19

Ancestral males dealt with threats by preparing to fight or flee.

Question 20

How did women compare to men?

Answer 20

However, the adaptive response for females as the primary caregivers would be able to protect themselves and their young. This leads to a female’s tendency to tend and befriend in times of stress, while men are more likely to become defensive.

Question 21

Who supported Stress Responses in Gender Roles

Answer 21

In a study by Ennis et al., levels of cortisol were taken a week before exam and immediately after an exam. There was a significant decrease in females.

Question 22

What did Ennis’ findings show

Answer 22

This shows that men respond to stressful situations by preparing to ‘fight or flight’, while women respond with decreased anxiety which tends to make people more sociable

Question 23

AID: Talk about how these are speculative theories

Answer 23

Another criticism of the evolutionary explanations such as accusations that they ignore social explanation (and referring to earlier) are deterministic. However a key criticism is that evolutionary explanations are speculative.

Question 24

Explain why Evolutionary explanations are speculative

Answer 24

They do not have a firm basis. For example, the appearance of gender-related division of labour may be a plausible explanation for the disappearance of the Neanderthals, but we have no direct evidence of this.