Sex and Mating: Female Perspective Overview of the Day Parental Investment Female Choice Male Characteristics that females desire and why (from an EP perspective)
Man Seeking Woman z“42, overweight and unemployed. Up at crack of 10:30 for pop tarts and Ovaltine; back to bed an option. Wants someone to share game shows, sit-coms, and big old couch.” yFrom a personal ad in Northern Express Weekly, (Traverse City, MI) Vol. 9, No. 23, June 9-15, 1999, p. 56.
Sexual Reproduction zWhy sexual reproduction? yCreation of variation yparasite theory zWhy is sex fun?
Robert Trivers’ Theory of Parental Investment zParental Investment yThe amount of personal resources from conception onward that a organism contributes to offspring zWhich sex (male or female) invests more? yDepends on the species (investing males: Mormon cricket, pipefish seahorse, and Panamanian poison arrow frog)
Parental Investment in Humans zHow about in humans? yHow much do men invest? yWhat do women invest zIn all mammals (and this includes all primates), its females (internal fertilization, gestation, breast feeding, infant care).
Female Choice zThe sex that invests more will be more discriminating in choice of sexual partners yWhy should this be true? zThe sex that invests less will be more competitive for access to the more investing sex zAmong humans, females do the choosing
Mate Preferences as Psychological Mechanisms zWhat do women prefer in men? zHow is this determined? yCultural preferences yPsychological mechanisms zCross cultural evidence points to mechanisms
Physical Characteristics and Activities zPhysical Characteristics yMusculature yHeight yMasculine vs. feminine facial features yGood health yAge zActivities (more speculative) yAthletics yMusic
Socio-economic Status zSocio-economic status yhigh status ywealth ywhy: resources available for care of women and young ydo rich/successful women still prefer rich men: yes, even richer
Personality zWhat do you think? Write list zambition zkindness zdependability zwillingness to invest in children zintelligence
Reality Check zWhat kind of men do the most beautiful women typically marry? zWhat kind of men do women with money and status marry? zWhat sort of personal ads are women most likely to respond to? zHow can these notions be true when most people are average?
Evidence from Clarisa zHow realistic is this story? zDoes this sort of thing really happen, and how often? zWhat about economic support from the congressman zDo women choose sex partners based on an assessment of: ylikelihood of fathering healthy children ywhether they will be good fathers and husbands zWhat are the advantages and disadvantages of arranged marriages? Why do they exist in many traditional societies?
Summary zParental Investment zFemale Choice zMale Characteristics that females desire and why (from an EP perspective)