Human%20mating%20behavior

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Human mating behavior

• Remember - the purpose of science is to explain
  natural phenomena, and that human behavior is a
  natural phenomenon that can be explained
  scientifically
• A scientific explanation for human behavior is
  just that - an explanation and not an attempt to
  justify or condone any particular behavior pattern

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Human mating behavior

• Human mate choice
• In species where males and females both make
  substantial parental investment in offspring,
  both males and females are expected to be choosy
  about mates

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Human mating behavior

• For example, the Mormon Cricket (which is neither
  a cricket nor Mormon)

Males produce a large bolus of nutritious
material (the spermatophylax) that accompanies
the spermatophore and is transferred to the
female during copulation
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Human mating behavior

• For example, the Mormon Cricket

After copulation the female eats the
spermatophylax and uses the nutritious material
to produce eggs
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Human mating behavior

• For example, the Mormon Cricket

Females choose males to mate with based on the
size of their spermatophylax - the female
benefits from her choice by gaining more
nutrition The spermatophylax is approximately
25 of the males body mass so represents
substantial PI
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Human mating behavior

• For example, the Mormon Cricket

Males choose females to mate with based on their
body size Larger females produce more eggs than
smaller females, so males benefit by being choosy
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Human mating behavior

• In this case, both males and females make
  substantial parental investment and both exercise
  mate choice
• The characteristic that females base their choice
  on (size of spermatophylax) are not the same as
  the characteristic that males base their choice
  on (female body size)
• Females make choices that promote their
  reproductive success males make choices that
  promote their reproductive success

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Human mating behavior

• What limits female reproductive success?
• Access to resources
• What limits access of human females to resources?
• Males control the resources (RHP)
• What characteristics of human males signal RHP?
• Wealth or the potential to amass it, however
  wealth is measured in the culture in question

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Human mating behavior

• What limits male reproductive success?
• Access to female gametes
• How do males get access to female gametes?

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Human mating behavior

• In some cultures males have access to multiple
  females so have access to many female gametes

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Human mating behavior

• What about males and females in monogamous
  cultures?
• Do they make choices about potential mates?

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Human mating behavior

• Human females and human males both make
  substantial parental investment in offspring, so
  both are expected to exercise mate choice
• Are the characteristics of males that females
  prefer the same as the characteristics of females
  that males prefer?

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Human mating behaviorthe mate preference
questionnaire
desire for home and children good financial prospect
pleasant disposition honesty
favorable social status similar political views
sense of humor chastity
good looks mutual attraction, being in love
common interests dependable character
similar educational background good health
cleanliness, good grooming emotional stability and maturity
ambition and industriousness education and intelligence
fidelity similar religious background
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Human mating behavior

• Are the characteristics of males that females
  prefer the same as the characteristics of females
  that males prefer?
• In some cases, yes
• Both males and females prefer
• Mutual attraction, being in love
• Honesty
• Good sense of humor
• Pleasant disposition

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Human mating behavior

• Are the characteristics of males that females
  prefer the same as the characteristics of females
  that males prefer?
• What characteristics do females prefer?

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Human mating behavior

• What characteristics do females prefer (more than
  males)?

desire for home and children good financial prospect
pleasant disposition honesty
favorable social status similar political views
sense of humor chastity
good looks mutual attraction, being in love
common interests dependable character
similar educational background good health
cleanliness, good grooming emotional stability and maturity
ambition and industriousness education and intelligence
fidelity similar religious background
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Human mating behavior

• What characteristics do females prefer?
• Ambition and industriousness
• Good financial prospect
• Favorable social status
• Education and intelligence
• Somewhat older
• These characteristics are signals of RHP

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Human mating behaviorWhat characteristics do
males prefer(more than females)?
desire for home and children good financial prospect
pleasant disposition honesty
favorable social status similar political views
sense of humor chastity
good looks mutual attraction, being in love
common interests dependable character
similar educational background good health
cleanliness, good grooming emotional stability and maturity
ambition and industriousness education and intelligence
fidelity similar religious background
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Human mating behavior

• What characteristics do males prefer?
• Good looks
• Somewhat younger
• Thats it!

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Human mating behavior

• What characteristics of females do males consider
  to be good looks (physical attractiveness)?
• If you look at the advertisements in
  Cosmopolitan
• Bright eyes, clear skin, full lips, thick glossy
  hair
• What else??

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Human mating behavior

• What characteristics of females do males consider
  to be good looks (physical attractiveness)?
• Low WHR

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WHR Low High
Age of reproductive maturity early later
Concentration of sex hormones higher lower
General health status (hypertension, heart disease, tryglicerides, etc) better poorer