The evolutionary theory of mate preference emphasises the difference between what each gender looks for in a person.
This could be an example of alpha bias. Do women and Men not look for the same characteristics like kindness and loyalty when looking for a partner?
There are cultures and even subcultures where arranged marraiges are successful or emphasise on wealth from both partners -This is not Western.
Free will and determinism
Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences.
States that we are attracted to people who offer potential to provide and care for healthy offspring and that we have no choice in that attraction.
This is no doubt deterministic. How much are we really in control of our partner choices?
However elements Such as similarities in attitudes and complimentarity would suggest an element of free will
Nature vs Nurture
The evolutionary explanations for human reproduction explanations for human reproductive behaviour vs cultural differences
The evolutionary stance is nativist, so any evolutionary theory for mate preference is stating the importance of genetics
However it can be argued that since cultural differences are found in attractiveness globally this suggest that mate preference is environmentally determined (Nurture).
Idiographic vs Nomathetic
All theories vs individual preference
The theories of relationship formation, maintenance and breakdown all take a nomathetic stance. They generalise across people and there is no personalisation
e.g. Duck's Phase model of relationship breakdown
Ethical Implications
The evolutionary explanations for human reproductive behaviour
e.g Brehm(1992) - Research that looks at potential problems in relationship can be devised and cause relationship breakdown.
Relationships as a topic have the potential for research that could effect participants negatively
This could make people worry about their own relationships and maybe even cause people to break up out of fear
Holism and Reductionism
Why someone chooses a partner and maintain a relationship
The evolutionary explanation for partner preferences is biologically reductionist because it implies there is some genetic transmission of that behaviour
There theories on relationship maintenance and attraction look to an interaction between 2 people- this is holistic