Which Of These Is Not An Ultimate Cause Of Human Mate Choice?

Which Of These Is Not An Ultimate Cause Of Human Mate Choice?

Which Of These Is Not An Ultimate Cause Of Human Mate Choice?

Answer:
In the context of human mate choice, several factors play a role in determining attraction and compatibility. Ultimate causes refer to evolutionary explanations for behavior. Here are some ultimate causes of human mate choice and one factor that is not an ultimate cause:

Ultimate Causes of Human Mate Choice:

  1. Reproductive Success: One ultimate cause of human mate choice is to maximize reproductive success. Individuals are often drawn to partners who can help them produce healthy offspring and ensure the continuation of their genetic line.

  2. Good Genes Hypothesis: This hypothesis suggests that humans are attracted to partners who display traits indicating good genetic quality. Features like physical attractiveness, symmetry, and indicators of health are believed to signal good genes for potential offspring.

  3. Parental Investment: The concept of parental investment is another ultimate cause of mate choice. Humans are believed to select partners based on their ability and willingness to invest resources, protection, and care into the offspring.

  4. Mate Preferences: Psychological mechanisms drive human mate preferences, such as the desire for intelligence, kindness, sense of humor, etc. These preferences are thought to have evolved over time to enhance reproductive success and offspring survival.

Non-Ultimate Cause of Human Mate Choice:

  • Religion, Race, or Socioeconomic Status: Factors like religion, race, or socioeconomic status are not considered ultimate causes of human mate choice. While they may influence social norms and personal preferences, they do not have direct evolutionary underpinnings in the context of mate selection. Therefore, they are not ultimate causes in the evolutionary sense.