Buss 1989

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Buss 1989

• Sex differences in mate preferences

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Objectives Lesson 1

• To understand the context, aims and procedures of
  Busss evolutionary study
• To have notes for exam revision

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Objectives Lesson 2

• To understand the findings and conclusions of
  Busss evolutionary study
• To have notes for exam revision

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Objectives Lesson 3

• To evaluate Busss evolutionary study in terms of
  methodology and alternative evidence
• To have notes for exam revision

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Context

• Danny de Vito or Johnny Depp?
• Kathy Burke or Angelina Jolie?
• Why?
• Evolutionary Psychology and choosing a partner.
  BUSS (1989).mgmf

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Context 3 Predictions1) Parental Investment

• YouTube - Girls Dont Like Boys-Good Charlotte
  (lyrics)
• Women invest more TIME and ENERGY into their
  offspring, so will choose partners who can
  provide resources (food, territory, protection)
• Modern women will look for ambitious, industrious
  men who have wealth and status.

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Context 3 Predictions2)Reproductive Value

• Womens fertility (short term) and reproductive
  value (long term) are related to age, so
• Men will look for partners who are physically
  attractive and younger than themselves.

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Context 3 Predictions3)Paternity Probability

• Men can never be 100 sure that their partners
  offspring are genetically their own, so
• Men should prefer women who are CHASTE (havent
  had other sexual partners) and will show more
  sexual jealousy than women

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Aims

• To investigate whether the predictions of
  evolutionary psychology can be supported in
  different cultures around the world.
• If the findings were similar, this would suggest
  that sex difference are innate (and support the
  evolutionary view)

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Procedures

• Complete the Participant section on your handout
  using p117 of your text.
• Info from original article
• Males 4601, Females 5446
• Complete the sampling box samples were
  VOLUNTEER, OPPORTUNITY or SYSTEMATIC

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Participants

• 10,047 participants from 33 countries, located on
  six continents and five islands.
• The samples varied in size from 55 in Iran to
  1,491 in USA (mainland)
• The Iranian sample was the only sample to have
  less than 100 participants.
• The age of the participants in the sample groups
  ranged from 17 years in New Zealand to 29 years
  in West Germany.

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Procedures

• Data Collection was done by native residents who
  did not know the hypotheses of the study

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Procedures 2 Questionnaires

• Rating Questionnaire
• a) Biographical Data
• b) Mate preferences (General questions)
• c) Rating Scale including 4 TARGET VARIABLES
  highlight them on your sheet

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Procedures 2 Questionnaires

• Ranking Questionnaire
• 13 characteristics
• Rank from 1-13, 1 most desirable
• Included 2 TARGET VARIABLES highlight them on
  your sheet

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Procedures Translations

• For each country 3 translators were employed
• 1 Translated questionnaire from English
• 1 Translated answers into English
• 1 Resolved problems
• Neutral words used eg Physically Attractive
• Reflected cultural diffferences living together
  (Sweden) Polygyny (Nigeria)

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Findings Good Financial Prospects

• 36/37 (97) females valued this more than males.
  Spain slight difference in opposite direction.
• Less important for W. Europeans than Americans,
  Asians and African samples
• Variation within samples

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Findings Ambition and Industriousness

• 34/37 (92) females valued this more than males.
• 29 samples (78) statistically significant
• 3 samples in opposite direction Colombia, Spain
  and S.A Zulus.
• Only Zulu finding significant (physical work
  female task)

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FindingsAge Difference

• All 37 samples males preferred younger mates
• Highlight 3 related findings on your sheet

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FindingsAge Difference (male view)

• All 37 samples males preferred younger mates
• Mean preferred age difference by males 2.66
  years
• Preferred marriage age for men 27.49
• Therefore ideal woman 24.83 close to PEAK
  FERTILITY rather than reproductive value.

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FindingsAge Difference (female view)

• All 37 samples females preferred older mates
• Mean preferred age difference by females 3.42
  years
• Preferred marriage age for women 25.39
• Therefore ideal man 28.81
• Polygynous countries males preference to be
  older was strongest Nigeria (6.45) Zambia (7.38)

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FindingsGood Looks

• All 37 samples males rated good looks more
  highly than females
• In 32 samples (92) difference was significant
• Particularly important in Bulgaria, Palestine,
  Nigeria and Zambia

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FindingsChastity

• Large variety
• 23 samples (62) males preferred chastity
• 14 samples no significant difference
• China, Indonesia, Iran highly valued
• Western Europe irrelevant/unimportant

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FindingsValidity Check

• Do self-reported preferences reflect what people
  actually do?
• Do mate preferences accuratety reflect mating
  decisions?
• YES why? (p118)

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Conclusions

• Complete the Conclusions task on your sheet

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Conclusions

• Females values resource providers
• Females value ambition and industry
• Both points support Trivers Parental Investment
  Theory

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Conclusions

• Males value physical attractiveness and relative
  youth
• This supports the hypothesis that males are
  looking for Reproductive Value (Symonds)
• BUT males aim marry 25 yearolds which suggests
  that FERTILITY is more important.
• However, 25 is past peak fertility, so other
  factors are involved

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Conclusions

• Females prefer older mates
• Supports the idea they are looking for resources
  (Trivers)
• Males value chastity supporting Daly on paternity
  probability, but evidence isnt so strong.

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EvaluationMethodology

• Questionnaire
• Note a strength and weakness related to this
  study
• Problems with the types of questions used?
• Reliability
• Answer the questions on the sheet

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EvaluationMethodology

• Validity
• Translation 3 translators were used why would
  this increase validity
• What problems could occur with reading questions
  to people who couldnt read?
• Answer 2 further issues from your sheet

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EvaluationMethodology

• Sampling
• Ethics
• In Pairs, answer the questions on your sheet.

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EvaluationAlternative Evidence

• For each of the following studies
• a) state findings and conclusions
• b) explain how they support, develop or
  contradict Buss.
• Cunningham et al (1995)
• Waynforth and Dunbar (1995) both studies
• Berezckei et al (1997)