Sexual Selection

I hope I'm not wrong, when I say that sexual selection is a complex behavior among animals (people included). It is also a type or subset of natural selection. The sexual behavior of the opposite sex is a part of the environment of the organism being selected or deselected. It started, as far as I can figure out, because it is so near to the fact that fitness is determined by ability to reproduce and success at reproduction. After division of the sexes (as soon as there were two sexes), some type of selection based directly on reproduction itself would become highly important. Sexual selection is then highly important because of its proximity to successful gene carry-over into the next generation.Genes that play a direct role in their own propagation tend to become more prevalent in a given gene pool, because of a positive feedback loop. Because sexual selection is a set of behaviors that we can say are under the control of genes, the genes responsible for those certain behaviors are the genes then involved in the feedback loop.I think it is also important to note that the genes involved exist in both sexes and exist in a kind of matched partnership between the two sexes.So yes, it exists among us humans and I've heard it said that good cooking skills and sense of humor are often selected.

Is this really sexual selection? I know I should look it up, but let me ask you first.I would contend that competition among males for instance is not selection by the female. Does she choose the winner or does the winner fend off advances by rivals making the choice for her?Edited by CosmicChimp, : spelling