Lecture on Mating Strategies and The National Student Survey

Evolutionary Psychology: Mating Strategies

• Part 1: Theories of Sexual Selection

  • Parental Investment Theory:

  • Describes conflict in how much effort to invest in mating vs. parenting.

  • Females typically invest more than males in terms of time and resources.

  • Error Management Theory:

  • Explains biases in how males and females perceive each other’s intentions in mating contexts.

• Part 2: Mating Strategies

  • Female Long-Term vs. Short-Term Strategies:

  • Includes considerations of investment in offspring, mate quality, and the context of potential short-term partners.

• Part 3: Research Ideas Discussion.

Natural Selection vs. Sexual Selection

• Natural Selection:

  • Focused on survival traits.

  • Traits solve practical problems (utilitarian).

• Sexual Selection:

  • Focus on traits that attract mates.

  • Traits may be elaborate and wasteful (e.g., bright colors in birds).

Female Mating Strategies

• Key Insights from Sarah Blaffer Hrdy (1981):

  • Females significantly influence evolutionary direction by choosing when, how often, and with whom they mate.

• Parental Investment Theory (Trivers, 1972):

  • Female investment often includes gestation, nursing, and caregiving.

  • Males invest primarily through sperm production.

Human Context of Investment

• Mating Investment Dynamics:

  • Men produce roughly 1 billion sperm per month, while women only have around 450 eggs in a lifetime.

• Female vs Male Offspring Investment Factors:

  • Women: Gestation, childbirth, lactation, caregiving commitments.

  • Men: Sperm production, mating competition, variable parenting roles.

Evolutionarily Adapted Strategies

• Why do women pursue multiple mates?

  • Good Genes Hypothesis: Potential for genetically superior offspring.

  • Resource Acquisition Hypothesis: Broader access to resources and protection.

  • Mate Switching Hypothesis: Evaluating alternative long-term partners.

Evidence and Research Studies

• Study Findings:

  • Women considered male financial resources significantly more than men did in personal ads.

  • Preferential attraction to symmetry and health in potential mates.

The Impact of Environment on Mating Preferences

• Environmental Influence on Mating Strategies:

  • Women in low socioeconomic status may prefer short-term mating due to limited partner resources.

Attraction During Ovulation

• Behavior Changes:

  • Women more likely to prefer masculine features during ovulation.

  • Changes in social behaviors, including seeking partners while in a fertile phase.

Compatibility in Mating

• Factors Influencing Compatibility:

  • Similar immune system characteristics and shared values/personalities.

Understanding Long-Term vs Short-Term Mating Behaviors

• Factors guiding preferences:

  • Different necessities and expectations dominate short-term mating vs long-term relationships.

Overall Study Questions:

• What strategies do women employ in their mating behaviors?

• How do biological imperatives interact with sociocultural influences on mating?

• How are female preferences shaped by evolutionary and social contexts?