WHAT WOMEN WANT

By Sarah Saad

SEXUAL SELECTION

Goal: to promote good mating choices

Sexual Dimorphism:• the degree to which sexes differ

in physical characteristics• usually refers to size differences• Human males on average are

20% larger than females

EVOLUTIONARY BACKGROUND

Provisioning Hypothesis:

Claims that a dietary shift towards meat as well as sexual division of labor (i.e. men as hunters and women as foragers) led to pair bonding and increased male investment in child rearing

MATING PREFERENCES

David BussoConducted a study to determine which characteristics were universally favored by men and women in long-term partnersoSurveyed 10,000 participants from 37 culturesoCharacteristics were rated from 0 to 3, 0 being irrelevant and 3 being indispensable

Characteristic

Male rating for females

Female rating for males

Degree of sex difference

Degree of cross-cultural variation

Love 2.81 2.87 Low Low

Dependability 2.50 2.69 Low High

Emotional stability/maturity

2.47 2.68 Moderate Moderate

Pleasing disposition 2.44 2.52 Low High

Good looks 1.91 1.46 High Moderate

Ambition and Industriousness

1.85 2.15 High High

Good financial prospect

1.51 1.76 High Low

Favorable social status 1.16 1.46 Moderate Moderate

Chastity 1.06 .75 Low High

Long-term Mate Choice Preferences

FINANCIAL RESOURCES, INDUSTRIOUSNESS AND SOCIAL STATUS

Women favored social status, industriousness and financial resources more than men did Resources can be assed

• directly by a his job, car or other inclinations of financial well-being

• Indirectly by his social status and level of industriousness

Evolutionary psychologists claim that this arose because ancestral women benefitted greatly from choosing mates that could provide for their offspring

FINANCIAL RESOURCES, INDUSTRIOUSNESS AND SOCIAL STATUS

The degree of difference between women’s and men’s preference for financial resources varies culturally In cultures in which women have greater financial independence, male status and resources are valued lessIn India, Iran and Nigeria, there is more emphasis on male financial resources than in South Africa and Holland

PREFERENCE FOR GOOD LOOKS

Buss’ findings show that women prefer good financial resources and high social status to good looksThese qualities are usually achieved later in life for men, so older men are usually preferred Gandestad and Buss (1993): there is greater emphasis on male physical attractiveness in areas where parasites are most common

• Facial and body symmetry are believed to be good indications of health and parasite resistance

PREFERENCE FOR GOOD LOOKS

Despite a preference for economic means, women do have defined attractions to certain physical featuresDixon (2003) found that women in Britain and Sri Lanka prefer lean, muscular body types and would favor a skinny body type over a heavy body type

• Muscular men are particularly preferred as short term partners and especially by ovulating women

Broad shoulders relative to waist size are preferred, the “V-shape”Chest hair is also preferred

PREFERENCE FOR GOOD LOOKS

Interestingly, while women tend to prefer masculine body traits, promoted by testosterone, they do not prefer masculine facial featuresJohnston (2001) found that men with masculine facial features were thought to be less investing as fathers when compared to men with less masculine facial features

PREFERENCE FOR GOOD LOOKS

Jedlicka (1980) found that offspring of parents of mixed ethnicity tended to marry individuals who resembled their opposite-sex parentSocial pressure could have played a role as well

WHAT IS LOVE?

Buss’ study ranked love as the most important requirement in long-term relationships, but what is its purpose?Love is defined as an intense feeling of deep affectionIt is essential to long-term relationships because it signifies commitment and dedicationIts ultimate function is to foster and ensure parental investment from both parents

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGZalfcrwSU&feature=related

SHORT TERM DATING

Clark and Hatfield (1989) studied casual sex on a university campusThey had attractive coeds ask the opposite sex to sleep with them75% of males agreed0% of women agreedWhile men view this as an opportunity for sex, women see it as a threat and an insult, possibly because they have “more to lose”

SHORT TERM DATING: EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS

Buss has asserted that under certain conditions, multiple pre-martial or post-marital matings can be beneficial Between 20-50% of married women have extramarital affairs in the United StatesEvolutionary psychologists have suggested that women can benefit, materially and genetically, from casual sex in much the same way as chimps and baboons do in the process of resource extraction Baker and Bellis (1998) found that the men that married women had extramarital affairs tended to be of higher status than their husbands

QUESTIONS

As women become more independent financially and socially, how do you think their preferences for long-term partners will change?

To what extent do you believe cultural and social pressure affect these preferences or dating strategies?