Evolution

1
Evolution mate choice
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• 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

2
Personal ad research
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• 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

3
Evolutionary hypotheses
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• 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

4
Waynforth Dunbar (1995)
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• 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

5
Buss (1989)
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• 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

6
Pawlowski Dunbar (1999)
www.psychlotron.org.uk

• 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