Evolutionary Psychology And Mate Selection

As individuals, we are significantly shaped by specific genetic patterns, consequently these patterns are inherited from our parents in which will then be passed down to our own children. Charles Darwin who proposed that all creatures had descended from an ancient ancestor conceptualized this theory; explaining that human conduct and characteristics are a result of logically evolved mechanisms (Darwin, 1985). This belief is referred to as Evolutionary theory; it is in line with the idea of natural selection and sexual selection, suggesting that reproduction would be successful if the attributes are able to survive in a given environment (Confer, Easton, Fleischman et al. 2010). Darwin’s conception suggests that there must be variation amongst

Evolutionary psychology explains that when these conditions have been met, the compositions of a population will successfully change from one generation to the next (Darwin, 1985). This essay looks at how evolutionary psychology has influenced reproduction and mate choice from ancestral lineage into post-modern society, in which new generations are strongly centered on technology and industrialized living. It evaluates how both men and women unconsciously select partners to mate with, based upon specific traits, behavior and social norms.

Mate choice preferences have been studied through Comparative Psychology by Darwin’s 1859 study, focusing particularly on sexually attractive ornaments (e.g., peacock tails) and sexually competitive weapons (e.g, elk antlers). Later research from Andersson (1982) for example, emphasizes the importance of traits in mate selection in both males and females using African Widow birds. Similarly, Alvergne and Lumma (2009) have provided support indicating the innate tendency humans have to prefer one person to the other. It proposes dual sexuality as the phenomenon that influences a females mate choice, in which her preference changes during the 6 day fertility window; when fertile, she chooses a mate with “good genes”, when non-fertile, adopts strategies to retain

Thus, falls in line with the evolutionary theory that men should prefer young women who are in the prime of their fertile window. (Buss, 1989). Sex differences in mating show that females make bodily investments, whilst men contribute indirectly; unlike female fertility, men tend to increase with age, therefore male to female mate selection criteria tens to differ (Buss 1989; Daly and Wilson 1983; Symons 1979) explain that males should then seek females who are at their optimal reproductive stage. Buss examined in his 1989 study how much this theory on mating and reproduction applies cross-culturally; it was found that in countries such as Zambia, Nigeria, and Colombia men were still likely to follow this evolutionary principle by mating women younger than them by 4-7 years