Mate choice from sociological and biological perspectives: Sexual selection meets mating markets

Abstract

Mate choice is a deeply studied topic of both evolutionary biology and sociology due to the complexity of social interactions, the process of conscious and unconscious evaluation of potential mates, the high stakes of successful reproduction, and consequently the long-term effects on families and populations for generations. The process of mate choice in...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Family

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

College 200

Class Size(s):

Medium

Usage Notes

This set of activities was developed and conducted in an undergraduate course, before which most students had some exposure to the concepts of family dynamics and reproduction via introductory (freshman-level) sociology and life science courses. The activities were conducted during a 1 hr 50 min class, with approximately 25 minutes each spent on Activity...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. 1. Successful students will be able to define and apply appropriate terminology
2. 2. Successful students will be able to describe differences in how sociologists and biologists view mating and success in mate choice
3. 3. Successful students will be able to assess why an explanation of a phenomenon like "mating" can benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach

Goal Assessment(s):

1. 1. Goals are assessed via written responses to the student Partner Choice Lab (PCL) questions 1-6 and 9-10.
2. 2. Goals are assessed via written responses to the student Partner Choice Lab (PCL) questions 11-12 and verbal responses to discussion questions on slide 29 of the PowerPoint.
3. 3. Goals are assessed via written responses to the student Partner Choice Lab (PCL) questions 13-14 and verbal responses to discussion questions on slide 29 of the PowerPoint.