Ethnography, cultural context, and assessments of reproductive success matter when discussing human mating strategies

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-285
Author(s):  
Agustin Fuentes
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Human Sexuality ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Multiple Hypotheses ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Human Mating

The target article effectively assesses multiple hypotheses for human sexuality, demonstrating support for a complex, integrated perspective. However, care must be taken when extrapolating human universal patterns from specific cultural subsets without appropriate ethnographic contexts. Although it makes a strong contribution to the investigation of human sexuality, the basal reliance on a reductionist perspective constrains the full efficacy of this research.

Eating their cake and having it too: Or, how women maximize reproductive success by simultaneous mating and dating

2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwen J. Broude
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Data Support ◽  
Target Article

Data support the claim from the target article that women, both cross-culturally and historically, have employed a variety of mating strategies, marrying but also engaging in short-term unions. But those strategies appear to be practiced simultaneously and not conditionally as Gangestad & Simpson propose, a finding consistent with assumed constraints on the potential reproductive success of females.

Idealized human mating strategies versus social complexity

2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Perper ◽  
Martha Cornog
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Social Complexity ◽  
Human Sexuality ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Social Constraints ◽  
Idealized Model ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Human Mating

Gangestad & Simpson present an idealized model of human mate strategies based on rational economics and genetics that elides most social constraints on human sexuality. They do not deal with observable complexities of courtship nor with ambiguities in short- and long-term mating. The model successfully explicates a narrow set of premises, but cannot yet explain complex sexual behavior.

Contributions from Biology

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Messer
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Human Sexuality ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Sexual Diversity ◽  
Behavioural Genetics ◽  
Evolutionary Origins ◽  
Sexual Selection Theory ◽  
Human Mating

This chapter surveys biological research on selected topics in human sexuality and reproduction. It begins with a brief introduction to the approaches of evolutionary biology and behavioural genetics. Subsequent sections survey insights offered by these disciplines into the evolutionary origins of sex, sexual selection theory and human mating strategies, sexual diversity (particularly same-sex attraction and sexual behaviour), and sexual dimorphism and intersex. Critical perspectives on these topics from biologists and others are discussed, and a concluding section outlines some issues of concern to theologians engaging with this material.

Measuring sociosexuality across people and nations: Revisiting the strengths and weaknesses of cross-cultural sex research

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Human Sexuality ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Sociosexual Orientation ◽  
Sex Research ◽  
Human Mating ◽  
Adequate Reliability

My response to the commentaries highlights three main points. First, the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI) has demonstrated adequate reliability and validity across dozens of studies, and it deserves its reputation as a useful measure of basic human mating strategies. Second, the sampling limitations of the International Sexuality Description Project (ISDP) do not negate the conclusion that sex differences in sociosexuality are likely universal across cultures. Third, the ISDP results support several theories of human sexuality, although some are based on faulty assumptions that render them less viable than others.

scholarly journals How is maternal survival related to reproductive success?

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. T. Wang ◽  
Ralph Hertwig
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Maternal Survival ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

Campbell's target article is a stimulating attempt to extend our understanding of sex differences in risk-taking behaviors. However, Campbell does not succeed in demonstrating that her account adds explanatory power to those (e.g., Daly & Wilson 1994) previously proposed. In particular, little effort was made to explore the causal links between survival (staying alive) and reproduction.

Variation in optimal human mating strategies: Effects of individual differences in competence and self-regulatory mechanisms

2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 587-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Alley
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Mating Strategy ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
Behavioral Competence ◽  
Regulatory Processes ◽  
Strategic Pluralism ◽  
Human Mating ◽  
The Impact

Several suggestions are made for revision of Strategic Pluralism Theory (SPT). One revision requires recognition of the impact of individual differences in cognitive and behavioral competence on optimal mating strategy. In addition, SPT may need to incorporate certain self-regulatory processes such as the impact of widespread valuation of mates with one trait on their availability.

Trade-offs, the allocation of reproductive effort, and the evolutionary psychology of human mating

2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 624-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven W. Gangestad ◽  
Jeffry A. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Complex Dynamics ◽  
Special Design ◽  
Mating Tactics ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Direct Benefits ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Human Mating ◽  
Genetic Fitness

This response reinforces several major themes in our target article: (a) the importance of sex-specific, within-sex variation in mating tactics; (b) the relevance of optimality thinking to understanding that variation; (c) the significance of special design for reconstructing evolutionary history; (d) the replicated findings that women's mating preferences vary across their menstrual cycle in ways revealing special design; and (e) the importance of applying market phenomena to understand the complex dynamics of mating. We also elaborate on three points: (1) Men who have indicators of genetic fitness may provide more direct benefits when female demand for extra-pair and short-term sex is very low; (2) both men and women track ecological cues to make mating decisions; and (3) more research on female orgasm is needed.

scholarly journals Self-perceived sociosexuality and mate value asymmetry in heterosexual romantic relationships

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Gomula ◽  
Natalia Nowak-Szczepanska ◽  
Dariusz P. Danel
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Mating Strategies ◽  
Mate Value ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Female Partners ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Human Mating

Abstract Previous works have shown that sociosexuality may affect mate choice and correspond to partners’ mate value (MV). However, there is a lack of studies that directly show how a difference between both partners’ mate values (MVD) relates to reproductive strategies. In this study we investigated a possible link between self-reported measures of individual differences in human mating strategies (SOI-R) and self-perceived mate value asymmetry (difference between partners’ MV) in heterosexual romantic relationships. Two hundred forty-nine heterosexual participants (all in romantic relationships) completed an online questionnaire. Their sociosexuality was measured using Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) (Penke and Asendorpf 2008). The assessment of the participant’s and his/her partner’s MVs were obtained using the MV measure by Graham-Kevan and Archer (2009). MVD was calculated by deducting the assessment of partner’s MV and MV self-assessment. Our results revealed that in men, with the increase of the discrepancy in mate value in favor of their female partners, male global sociosexuality and sociosexual desire decreased. In contrast, in women no significant correlations were found. We propose several possible explanations, based on evolutionary psychology, discussing our results within the context of potential benefits for reproductive success in both sexes due to the lower male sociosexuality

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