Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 Mate Selection Aim Running

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Aim: Running Order: To consider why humans express the Week 7 Mate preferences that they do. Mating systems Reward: You should have a better idea as to why these preferences have come about, their function & how individuals vary. Week 7 Mate value r and K selection Mixed strategies

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Mating systems Evolutionary Psychology - The forward approach • What we assume to be the mating system in the EEA acts as a hypothesis generator for what we would predict in the present. Darwinian Social Science – The backward approach • What we see in the present acts as a hypothesis generator for the EEA.

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Evolutionary Psychology What can mating systems tell us about female choice? • Assume that the prevailing mating system that we inherited from the australopithecine’s was polygamy. • However, as brain size increased and the length of childhood grew the need for investment from the father of offspring grew – in other words, there was a push from the female side toward monogamy. • Next, assume that group size facilitated direct female choice – i. e. there were no longer saddled with the ‘winner’ of intra-male competition.

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Evolutionary Psychology What can mating systems tell us about female choice? What sort of Week 7 Mate preferences would females exhibit? • Preparedness to invest • Ability to invest • Emotional & economic fidelity • Ability to offer protection.

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Evolutionary Psychology What can our mating systems tell us about male choice? • Again, assume that the prevailing mating system that we inherited from the australopithecine’s was polygamy. • And, again, assume that there was pressure on males toward a monogamous system – which would have suited those who lost out altogether in a polygamous system. • Notice that in such circumstances the potential RS of males is now tied to that of females – i. e. a ceiling is imposed .

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Evolutionary Psychology What can mating systems tell us about male choice? What sort of Week 7 Mate preferences would males exhibit? • Fertility • Health • Preparedness to invest • Sexual fidelity.

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection What do women want in men? What do men want in women? 1. Kindness & understanding 2. Intelligence 3. Exciting personality 3. Physical attractiveness 4. Good health 4. Exciting personality 5. Adaptability 5. Good health 6. Physical attractiveness 6. Adaptability 7. Creativity 8. Earning capacity 8. Chastity 9. Graduate 9. Desire for children 10. Graduate 11. Good stock 12. Good housekeeper 12. Earning capacity 13. Chastity 13. Good housekeeper Adapted from Buss, 1989; 1998

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection r and K – the same structure can be applied within a species r small size of organism energetic cost is low many offspring early maturity short life expectancy K large size of organism energetic cost is high few offspring late maturity after parental care long life expectancy each individual reproduces only once individuals can reproduce more than once most of the individuals die, a few live much longer most individuals live to near the maximum life span

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Mixed Strategies: Biological & psychological indicators The Coolidge Effect Men have lower Week 7 Mate quality standards. More willing to have a causal sexual encounter with a stranger and more often. Sexual jealousy. Why would we be jealous if we were fundamentally monogamous? Sperm competition could only have evolved if it was common for women to have sex with different males over periods of 0 to 6 days.

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Mixed Strategies What’s in it for females? Paternal confusion – genetic spread bets. Social exchange – sex as a reciprocation. Social climbing – the Week 7 Mate Switching Hypotheses. What are the costs for females? Reputation – If males value fidelity, cues at variance with this would be a disadvantage. Spousal abuse.

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Week 7 Mate choice maturation For females. . Teens Polygamy Polyandry Serial Monogamy Polygyny? Mid-20’s

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Week 7 Mate choice maturation For males. . Teens Polygamy Polygyny Serial Monogamy Polyandry? Mid-20’s

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Mate value Health Age Status The market place Media Honest & dishonest advertising

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Mate value & r and K selection Females We might predict an asymmetry in the behaviour of high value males and high value females. And an asymmetry in low value females and low value males. Males Mate value No. of Mates

Evolutionary Psychology Week 7 - Mate Selection Findings from Social Psychology of attraction We are attracted to. . . • Similar others • Those with whom we have repeated contact • Those who like us • Those with whom we experience stress • Assortative mating & The Matching Hypothesis