Transcript Evolution & mate choice - Psychlology Teaching Resources

• Sexual selection suggests that men &
women adopt different mating strategies
• Male – relatively indiscriminate, interested
in fertility of potential mate
• Female – relatively discriminating,
interested in ability of potential mate to
provide for offspring
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Evolution & mate choice
• Some evolutionary researchers have
looked at the personal ads people place
when looking for a partner
• These are short & succinct, with
(usually) clear indications of:
• The characteristics sought
• The characteristics offered
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Personal ad research
• Men are looking for women who are
likely to reproduce successfully
• Young
• Physically attractive
• Women are looking for successful men
who can provide for offspring
• Older
• Successful/rich/high status
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Evolutionary hypotheses
• Age
• M asked for F 1-12yrs younger than them; F for M
2-7yrs older
• Attractiveness
• M mentioned own attractiveness 1.4x less than F;
asked for attractiveness 2x as often
• Resources
• M mentioned own wealth 1.7x more than F; F
asked for wealth 4.5x more than M
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Waynforth & Dunbar (1995)
• Cross cultural comparisons (37 different
cultures)
• F placed higher importance (average 2x)
on wealth in all cases
• F preferred older partners (average 3.5yrs)
in all cases
• F placed more importance on education,
qualifications, career
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Buss (1989)
• Personal ad study
• Women generally make more demands in
personal ads (i.e. mention more selection
criteria)
• Women were more likely than men to
withhold info about their age & this
tendency peaked between 35-50 years old
www.psychlotron.org.uk
Pawlowski & Dunbar (1999)