PSYC 3100 Midterm: Notes for Midterm 2

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3100
• Professor: Don Dedrick

Document Summary

Sexual reproduction has a higher cost than asexual reproduction. Despite the potential for asexual reproduction organism reproduce sexually instead: may have arose to regenerate genetic variation or eliminate genetic associations between genes and past environments that have become disadvantageous. What is the theory of sexual selection? (& red queen hypothesis) Sexual selection allows for recombination and variation in offspring. The red queen hypothesis is the theory that organisms must evolve and progress as fast as possible to remain in the same place relative to other animals. What problem in evolution did sexual selection solve? (& sexual dimorphism) Solves the problem of the limiting female resource by creating male-male competition and female choice (ie: choosy females/promiscuous males) Sexual dimorphism is the difference in male and female phenotypes. Sexual selection is the component or subset of natural selection that is associated with mating success and solves the problem of finding a mate by improving the results/selection through competition.