Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - An evolutionary perspective on

An evolutionary perspective on
human mating: Strategies of selfpromotion, competitor derogation,
and mate poaching.
“From an evolutionary perspective, human mating
requires solving adaptive problems.” (Schmitt & Buss,
1996).
Adaptive problem 1: Differential parental investment:
finding fertile partners versus finding a partner that
can devote resources.
Adaptive problem 2: Paternity certainty
Solution to adaptive problem 1:
Men value fertile females. Look for features that
indicate fertility in partner (e.g., smooth skin, firm
muscle tone).
Women value high-status, resourceful males. Look for
earning potential and surgency because these indicate
ability of partner to provide resources.
Solution to adaptive problem 2:
In the context of long-term mating, men value
women who are sexually exclusive.
“Evolved romantic desires are considered by
evolutionary psychologists to be the historical end
products, not the current cause, of differential
reproductive success.”
“Nevertheless, the residual design features of our
evolved desires seem to continue to exert an unbidden
influence on the form and effectiveness of modern
romantic attraction behaviour.” (Schmitt & Buss,
2001).
Cross-cultural study by Buss (1989).
Thirty-seven cultures from five continents.
10,047 respondents
4,601 males (mean age 23.49, standard deviation 3.01)
5,446 females (mean age 22.52, standard deviation 2.67)
Question 1: Good financial prospects.
Results:
Relative to men, women feel that good financial
prospects is a more important feature in a partner.
The pattern was observed in all 37 cultures and
statistically significant in 36 out of 37.
Question 2: Ambition and industriousness.
Results:
Relative to men, women feel that ambition and
industriousness are more important features in a
partner.
This pattern was found in 34 cultures and statistically
significant in 29 cultures.
Question 3: Good looks.
Results:
Relative to women, men feel that good looks are a
more important feature in a partner.
This pattern was found in all 37 cultures and
statistically significant in 34 cultures.
Question 4: No previous experience in sexual
intercourse.
Results:
Relative to women, men feel that no previous
experience in sexual intercourse (i.e., virginity or
chastity) is a more important feature in a partner.
This pattern was found in 32 cultures and statistically
significant in 23 cultures.
Question 5: Age difference preferred between self and
spouse.
Results:
Men in all cultures prefer spouses who are younger (by
2.66 years on average).
Women in all cultures prefer spouses who are older
(by 3.42 years on average).
Difference between males and females is significant in
all cultures.
Actual age difference across 30 cultures: 2.99 years
(men older).
Strategic Mate Attraction
“People now posses evolved preferences for mates
who will help solve their adaptive problems, and they
effectively attract potential mates by signalling that
they will solve, and others will not solve, the potential
mates’ adaptive problems.” (Schmitt & Buss, 1996).
“Both men and women have faced temporally unique
problems in long-term versus short-term mating
contexts.” (Schmitt & Buss, 1996).
Relatively effective strategies to attract mates
(Hypothesized)
To attract males
To attract females
Short-term Display sexual availability Display current ability and
Be highly attractive
Long-term Exclusive sexual access
Be attractive
Enduring commitment
Display kindness
willingness to devote resources
Display dominance and status
Be attractive
Display future ability and
willingness to devote resources
Enduring commitment
Display kindness
Effective for attracting males in a short-term context:
Act flirtatious
Act seductively
Have sex
Make a proposition
Sexualize appearance
Act dumb
Call rival sexually unavailable
Ineffective tactics:
Call rival promiscuous
Question rival’s intelligence
Effective for attracting males in a long-term context:
Display sexual exclusivity
Question rival’s fidelity
Effective for attracting females in a short-term context:
Give resources immediately
Act macho
Display surgency
Display resources
Derogate rival’s current finances
Derogate rival’s strength
Derogate rival’s surgency
Dominate competitor
Outshine rival in sports
Effective for attracting females in a long-term context:
Show resource potential
Display resources
Derogate rival’s achievements
Derogate rival’s resource potential
Suggest rival has no goals
Derogate rival’s current finances
Effective for attracting mates in long-term context:
Act helpful
Act honest
Become friends
Communicate often
Invoke love
Show commitment
Act kind
Act sensitive
Call rival exploitative
Call rival selfish
Call rival insensitive
Effective for attracting mates in a short-term context:
Enhance physical attractiveness
Derogate rival’s appearance
Derogate rival’s physical attractiveness
These strategies are also considered effective for
attracting men in both short- and long-term contexts.
To attract males
To attract females
Short-term Accept his sexual offer
Accept her sexual offer
Suggest spending time alone Make yourself look good
Flirt with him
Make a good 1st impression
Make subtle physical contact Show her you’re attracted
Make him think of sex
Shower often
Long-term Show loving devotion
Avoid sex with other men
Remain faithful to him
Fall in love with him
Date for a long time
Be understanding of her
Remain faithful to her
Find common interest
Show loving devotion
Fall in love with her
Mate Poaching
“Much of research on romantic attraction
effectiveness is based on the implicit assumption that
intrasexual competition centers around available mates
in a mating pool. This assumption, however, bypasses
a critical adaptive problem that must have been
prevalent over human evolutionary history. Namely,
many desirable mates are already mated and thus are
not readily available or present in the eligible mating
pool.” (Schmitt & Buss, 2001).
Personality characteristics poachers, targets, and
poachees:
Poachers:
Poachees:
Low agreeableness
Low conscientiousness
Low relationship exclusivity
Erotophilic disposition
Low agreeableness
Low conscientiousness
High neuroticism
Low exclusivity
Masculine
Erotophilic disposition
Unloving
Targets:
High extraversion
Sexually attractive
Loving
Low relationship exclusivity
Perceived costs and benefits of poaching:
Males
Short-term Acquiring beauty
Females
Gain resources
Gaining sexual access
Lack of responsibility
Losing resources
Long-term Acquiring beauty
Gain resources
Lack of responsibility
Losing resources
Commitment concerns
Commitment concerns
Cavemen and cavewomen?
Are kindness and trustworthiness important?
Is kindness a form of self-interest?
Is there such a thing as true altruism and empathy?