Lecture 20- Long-term Mating Preferences: Athleticism and Strength

Introduction

• Topic: Long-term mating preferences for females, focusing on physical characteristics related to athleticism and strength.

• Aim: Explore the impact of physical attributes on mate selection, particularly in relation to evolutionary psychology.

Importance of Physical Characteristics in Mating Preferences

• desired attributes should be those taht enhance reproductive fitness

• Females often prefer mates with attributes enhancing their inclusive fitness and offspring well-being.

• Mating preferences are diverse; no single trait dominates.

• Availability and the female's mate value influence trait preferences.

Impact of Physical Characteristics on Reproductive Success

1. Behavioral Capabilities (protection, resources)

   • Physical characteristics can infer behavioral capabilities.

   • Example: Height affects the likelihood of performing certain physical activities, such as sports.

   • A male's ability to hunt or provide is linked to physical capabilities.

2. Health Signaling (fertility, longetivity)

   • Physical traits can indicate health status, which is vital for resource provisioning.

   • Health relates to longevity, affecting mating success.

   • Health also influences fertility, thus affecting reproductive outcomes.

   • Some characteristics are contagious; signaling good health also protects offspring.

3. Genetic Characteristics (benefits to offspring, health, good alleles))

   • Physical traits can indicate the genetic quality of potential mates.

   • Good genes are advantageous for offspring, enhancing evolutionary success.

   • Genetic indicators such as health and intelligence are valuable.

Athleticism and Strength in Mate Selection

• Athleticism can signal behavioral capabilities and health.

• Comparative analysis in nature shows similar preferences across species. Example: Gladiator frogs, where females assess male athleticism before mating. female frog will test the male’s strength by trying to knock him over.

Survey Data on Female Preferences

• Studies show female preferences for traits like height and athletic ability.

• Average ratings for traits:

  • Height: 2.0 (important)

  • Athletic ability: 1.5 (fairly important)

• Male preferences for these characteristics generally score below 1.

Body Morphology as an Indicator of Athleticism

• Males with broader shoulders (creating a V-shaped torso) are often deemed more attractive by females.

• The ratio of shoulder to hip measurements impacts attractiveness ratings.

• Correlation exists between shoulder breadth, throwing ability (torque), and hunting success.

• A V-shaped torso may indicate sexual maturity (facial hair, shoulder broad) and potentially better health outcomes.

• The mesomorph body type is the best in body morphology.

• in personal ads, tall men receieve more responses and are more requested by women.

Insights from Traditional Societies

• Observations from Brazilian tribes called Mehinaku show that athletic performance impacts attractiveness; better wrestlers are more appealing.

• Relationships exist between hunting ability and attractiveness in traditional societies.

• Male athletes in North American society also attract significant female attention.

Case Studies and Anecdotes

• Wilt Chamberlain, an NBA player, claimed significant success with women due to athletic prowess, indicating societal preferences for athletes. he wrote a book that said that he slept with 20,000 different women!! and they did not even so much money.

• Certain professions, like male dancers or actors, may attract female attention based on physical attractiveness.

Research on Athletic Performance and Attractiveness

• A 2014 study involving Tour de France riders and facial attractiveness. a positive correlation between attractiveness ratings and cycling performance.

• Women on reproductive pills did not show the same preference as those not on the pill, suggesting hormonal influences on preferences.

Conclusions

• Evidence suggests female preferences for athleticism, strength, and size relate to long-term and short-term mating.

• The signaling role of physical characteristics like health, genetics, and behavioral capabilities is significant.

• More research needed to clarify the specific influence of athleticism on varying mating strategies.