abuse
battered women, 244
by intimate partner, 243–245
jealousy and, 217
psychological, 243
verbal, 213
women’s vulnerability, 138
accessibility, sexual
aggressiveness, 229–231
commitment and, 80, 129, 225–226, 231–232
competition for, 4, 12–13, 19, 32, 166–167, 224, 336–338
infidelity, 276–278
loss of, 190
male coalitions, 334
mate-poaching, 168, 192–195, 209–213, 216, 337, 342
physical prowess, 164
questioning a female rival’s accessibility, 180–181
rape, 251
selective, 176
sequestering wives, 303
sexual harassment, 246–248
signals of availability, 177–182
“special friends,” 58
to variety of women, 120–129
withholding sex, 232, 281–282, 290
See also Internet dating
adaptations
anti-rape, 259–266
artistic abilities, as by-products of other adaptations, 184
breaking up, 17, 273–276, 286, 291
casual sex, 115–117, 121–122, 182
changing behavior, 330
conflict, 235
context, consideration of, 24
for coping with mating challenges, 329
defined, 7–8
error management theory, 227
female orgasm, 118–119
to individual circumstances, 315–316
jealousy, 15, 26, 195–196, 198, 203–204, 218
living in harmony with opposite sex, 327
mate ejection, 287
mate retention, 220
mate value, changes in, 294–295
mating strategies, 25, 266, 281
menopause, 309–310
potential backup mates, 271
rape, 250–257
risk-taking by men, 316
sexual overperception bias, 228–229, 248
vengeance, 194
adolescence, 44, 61, 85, 97, 110, 144–145, 324
adultery. See infidelity
advertisements
personal ads, 39–40, 58, 59, 66, 73, 74, 84
standards of beauty and, 94, 101–104, 110, 169, 172–174
age/aging
attractiveness of women, 88, 296
divorce and, 280
earlier death of men, 316–318
extramarital sex, 304–305
fertility, 83, 280, 295, 304–305, 308, 325–326
gay men’s emphasis on youthfulness, 99
mate value, 276, 296, 301, 311–315
men’s preferences, 83–86, 111, 296, 327
rape and, 254
remarriage and, 320
reproductivity and, 110, 302, 308–311
sexual desire, 298–300
sexual harassment, 247
women’s preferences, 44–48
aggressiveness, sexual, 60, 109, 229–231, 253, 256, 344
Allgeier, Elizabeth, 70
Allon, Natalie, 179
ancestral people
aggression between men, 270
ancestral men, mating preferences of, 82–83, 101, 105, 114, 151, 241
attracting a mate, 151
casual sex, 114, 117, 120, 134, 148
coalitions of males, 334
conflict among co-wives, 284–285
environmental dangers, 270–271
gender differences in mating behavior, 331
infidelity, 15
jealousy, 195
life span, 309
mate ejection, 16–17
mate selection, 33–34, 51, 53, 57, 62, 75, 241
mate-switching, 139
mate value, change in, 291
mating strategies, 23–25
menopause, 309
paternity, certainty of, 105–106, 108
rape, 263
rapid reproduction, 310–311
reproductive success, 8, 15, 33, 80, 101, 105–106, 134, 164, 309
resource potential, 36–38, 41, 334
risk-taking, 318
sex ratio imbalance, 321
women, mating preferences of, 33–34, 41, 45, 53, 76, 114, 134, 151, 241
animal studies
attracting a mate, 4, 12–13, 154
bravado, displays of, 167
competition for mates, 13
conflict between sexes, 18
domination in primate groups, 57–58
evidence of ovulation, 82
females, competition among, 13–14
health, importance of, 60–61
investment in young, 196
keeping a mate, 14–15
male primates’ preference for older females, 109–110
mate-keeping tactics, 190–191, 213
mate preferences, 10
mate-switching, 139
mate value, 293–294
physical characteristics preferred by females, 57
rape, 250
replacing a mate, 16
resource potential, 36–37
resources, displaying, 154
sex-role reversed species, 32
sexual variety, 125–126
symmetry, 90
appearance
enhancing, 168–170
sexualizing, 178–179
See also beauty
artistic abilities, as by-products of other adaptations, 184
asymmetry, 90
athleticism, 57, 123, 164, 344
attracting mates
appearance enhancement, 168–174
artistic and musical abilities, 184
bravado and self-confidence, 165–168
clothing, 156
commitment
creating illusion of, 161
context, importance of, 19, 22–25, 36, 112–113, 153, 176
fitness signaling hypothesis, 183–185
generosity with resources, 156
honesty, 162–163
humor, 182–183
intelligence, 185
men-to-women ratio, 24–25, 187, 324–325, 342
nonverbal seduction tactics, 178
persistence in courtship, 158–159
physical prowess, 164
playing hard to get, 176
resource display, 154–157
resource potential, 156
sexual morality, 185
sexual signaling, 177–182
sneak, or satellite, strategy, 167
subservient signals, 181
visual contact, 179–180
See also casual sex; competition
availability, signaling, 177–178
Bailey, Michael, 20
Baker, Robin, 140
beauty
body shape, 90–93
enhancement products, 169–170
media effect on standards of, 101–104, 172–173
men’s social status and, 95–96
early emergence of, 88
homosexual men and women, preferences of, 96–99
men’s preferences, 86–90
as reflection of reproductive potential, 111
symmetrical faces, 89
waist-to-hip ratio, 92–93
women’s preferences, 57–62
women’s reproductive capacity and, 86–87
Bellis, Mark, 140
Belsky, Jay, 341
better genes theory, 140
Betzig, Laura, 276
biological determinism, 27–28
birth control, 34, 106, 112, 149, 261
bisexuality, 21
Blumstein, Philip, 99
body shape, 90–93
bodyguard hypothesis, 263–265
breaking up
adaptations for, 17, 270–271, 273–276, 286–287, 291
childlessness, 279
conflict among multiple wives, 283–285
coping with, 289–290
cruelty and unkindness, 285–287
divorce and remarriage, prevalence of, 269–270
economic support, lack of, 282–283
infertility, 278–281
infidelity, 276–278
justification, 275
mate ejection tactics, 17, 275, 278, 287–289
mate poaching, 168, 192–195, 209–213, 216, 337, 342
sexual withdrawal, 281–282
Brownmiller, Susan, 260
Bush, George, H. W., 59
Camire, Lori, 161
cash economies, stockpiling resources and, 312–313
casual sex
adaptations for, 115–117, 121–122, 182
adolescent premarital experimentation, 145
backup mates, 138–139
benefits for men, 120
benefits for women, 134–138
better genes theory, 140
closing time effect, 130–131
Coolidge effect, 125–127
costs of, 142–143
evolutionary history of, 116–119
fantasies about, 127–129
father absence, 144
genetic benefits of, 140–142
legal, social, and cultural sanctions of, 147
low-commitment sex, 124–130
lust, 119–122
mate value, reassessment of, 145, 147
post-orgasm shift, 131
prostitution, 133–134
as result of sex ratio imbalance, 145–146, 187
sex with strangers, 113–114
sexual orientation and, 132–133
sexual regret, 129–130
standards for acceptable partners, 123–124
strategies pursued by others, 147–148
variety, sexual, 125–129
See also attracting mates
Chagnon, Napoleon, 27, 83, 345
chastity. See virginity
Chavanne, Tara, 261
children
certainty of paternity of, 80, 105–106, 174, 195–196
effect of on marriage, 279, 299, 347
grandmother hypothesis, 310
response to faces, 88
spacing of births, 310–311
survival and reproductive success of, 38, 80
claustration, 210
clitoridectomy, 214
closing time effect, 130–131
coalitions, male, 334–335
coercion, 60, 253, 256, 265, 324, 333, 344, 346
Colwell, Mark, 139
commitment
benefits for men, 79–81
changes in, 300–308
channeling of resources to mate, 65
deception, 161, 186–187, 225, 240–243
demonstrations of, 157–163
importance of to women, 62–63, 67–68, 75
love as cue to, 63–64
planning to have children, 65
sex ratio imbalance and, 321–323
sincerity, 76
compatibility, 53–60
competition
among women, 13–14, 103–104, 337
appearance enhancement, 168–172
derogation of competitors, 152, 155–156, 170–171, 174–175, 180–181, 186, 212
female preferences, role of, 13–14
fitness signaling, 182–186
forms of, 3–4
for sexual access, 19, 32, 166–167, 224, 336–338
sexual signaling, 177–182
for status and resources, 24, 165–167, 336–337
See also mate keeping
conflict
adaptations for, 235
consenting and nonconsenting sexual situations, 251–252
within couples, 344–345
deception, 239–243
emotional commitment, 19, 232–235
gender reactions to sexual events, 225–226
intimate partner violence, 243–245, 256
mating strategies, 18–20
as the norm in mating behavior, 2–3
psychological adaptations, 266–267
resource investment, 235–238
sexual harassment, 245–248, 344
sexual mind reading, 180, 226–232, 228, 229
warfare, 345–346
Conroy-Beam, Dan, 274
context
jealousy and, 16
mating strategies and, 19, 22–25, 36, 112–113, 176
women’s desires and, 72–73, 77
Coolidge effect, 125–127
cosmetics industry, 111
courtship
artistic ability and, 184
guarding against deception, 242
men’s disinterest in, 129, 132
persistence in, 158
tactics, 164
cruelty, 285–287
cuckoldry, 196–197, 216, 219, 307
cultural contexts, role of, 22–25, 65, 112
cultural studies
acts of love, 64
age difference of mates, 83–86
allocation of money, 238
ambition, importance of to women, 48–49
attraction tactics, 161–162, 166–167
attractive faces, 89
attractiveness and age, 296
babies, arrival of, 299–300
body types, 91–92
bodyguard hypothesis, 263–265
charity contributions, 156
children as strengtheners of marriage bonds, 279
closing time effect, 130–131
clothing expense and status, 157
clothing style and skin exposure, 178–179
commitment
demonstrations of, 158
emotional, 208
comparison of mate to alternative mates, 274
compatibility, 54
conflict between sexes, 224–225
consenting and nonconsenting sexual situations, 251–252
cruelty, 285
deception, 240–241
dependability, 49
derogation of competition, 170–171
detecting sexual cues, 180, 228, 229
divorce, causes of, 276, 279, 281–283, 284
early experiences, effect of on mating strategies, 341–342
education, 52–53
emotional stability, 50
extramarital sex, 126, 128, 305–307
failure to provide resources, 282–283
fantasies, sexual, 128–129
fertility, 279–280
financial prospects, value of, 39–41
financially successful women, 69–71
flirtation tactics, 178
grandmothers’ effect on children’s survival, 310
harassment, sexual, 246–248
health, 60
high social status, 42
homosexuals, mate preferences of, 71–72, 97–98
human prestige criteria, 96
ideal mate, 55
industriousness, importance of to women, 48–49
infants’ social responses to faces, 88
infertility, 279
infidelity, 201–203
influence of media on satisfaction with current partner, 102
insulting a woman’s appearance, 245
intelligence, 52–53
Internet dating, 122
jealousy, 197–200, 204–203, 208, 217, 218, 244
kindness, 67
love as a marriage requirement, 65–67
man’s occupational status and attractiveness of wife, 100–101
masturbation, 121
mate attraction, 154–155
mate copying, 72–73
mate deprivation hypothesis, 253–254
mate ejection, 278
mate guarding, 303
mate keeping, 207
mate preferences, changes in, 327
mate retention, 204–207, 220, 302
mating behavior, 5–7
money as source of conflict, 238
murder over sexual matters, 217
nonverbal attraction tactics of women, 177–178
nurturance toward children, 159–160
older mates, 44–46
ovulation and mate preferences, 141
partner, sexual experience of, 108–109
partner abuse, 244
partners, desired number of, 120–121
physical attractiveness, 93–94
physical coercion, 253
physically formidable mates as crime-protection, 265
playing hard to get, 176
pornography consumption, 121
post-orgasm shift, 131
pregnancy rate resulting from rape, 255
rape, incidence of, 249
rape, male proclivity toward, 256
rape, young women’s fear of, 263
rapes, distribution of across female menstrual cycle, 261
rapists, ages of, 324
remarriage patterns, 319
risk avoidance by women, 262–263
sex drive, 121
sex with strangers, 113–114, 121–122
sexual aggressiveness, gender perception of, 230–231
sexual orientation, 20
sexual orientation and casual sex, 132–133
sexual overperception bias, 228–229
sexualization of appearance, 178–179
speed dating, 228
sperm production, effect of separation of mates from each other on, 117
tall men, 58
traits for long-term mating success, 327
unkindness, 286–287
variety, sexual, 126–127
virginity and mate choice, 106–107, 341
waist-to-hip ratio, 92–93
withdrawal of sex, 281–282
women’s fear of stranger rape, 263
women’s mating preferences, 74–75
younger mates, 47–48
Cunningham, Michael, 88
Darwin, Charles, 3–4
dating
acts of love and commitment, 205
clothing as indicator of social status, 157
complaints about neglect and unreliability, 236
conflict, 224
failure to express feelings, 233–234
ideal mate, 55
jealousy, inducing, 208
male submissiveness, 208
matched/mismatched couples, 54
mate poaching, 195
moodiness, 234–235
as part of courtship, 158
personal ads, 39–40, 58, 59, 66, 73, 74, 84
providing economic and material resources, 206
sexual accessibility, 225–226
speed-dating, 228
verbal and physical abuse, 213–214
See also Internet dating
daughter guarding, 144
David and Bathsheba, 192–193
death rates, gender differences in, 316–318
Deaux, Kay, 98
deception
age, 243
casual affairs, 153
commitment, 241
depth of feelings, 240–241
infidelity, 241
by men, 162, 166, 186, 187, 240
resources, 241
sexual history, 243
social status, 48
Degeneres, Ellen, 21
dependability, 49–51, 73, 327, 331, 344
derogation of competitors, 152, 155–156, 170–171, 174–176, 180–181, 196, 212
derogatory sexual terms, 175–176
divorce
age discrepancy, 46
children and, 341–342
conflict among multiple wives, 283–285
consequences of, 17–18
cruelty and unkindness, 285–287
infertility, 276–281
lack of economic support, 69, 282–283
mate value, change in, 297, 345
psychological adaptations for, 23–24
remarriage to younger women, 86, 319
resource inequality, 336
sex ratio imbalance, 321–322
sexual incompatibility, 137
See also breaking up
Dukakis, Michael, 59
Easton, Judith, 305
education, 42, 48, 52–53, 73–74, 123, 321
eligibility, 43
environmental determinism, 27
error management theory, 227
evolutionary psychology, 5, 71
evolutionary theory, resistance to
biological determinism, 27–28
fear of gender discrimination, 28
idealistic views of romance, sexual harmony and lifelong love, 29
ideological beliefs, 26
naturalistic fallacy, 26–27
perception of evolutionary time span, 25–26
romantic fallacy, 27
extramarital sex
frequency of, 304–308
gender differences in, 126, 306–307
hunting ability and, 312–313
incidence of, 2
mate switching adaptations of women, 340
men’s patterns of, 306
motivations for, 326
predictor of, 108
prevention of, 214–215
reactions to, 241
reproductive benefit of, 119
risks for men, 142
risks for women, 142–143
sex ratio balance and, 146
sexual strategies pursued by other people, 147
unkind men and, 67
women’s aging and, 304–305
women’s participation in, 326, 340
fantasies, 127–129, 229–230, 305, 308, 332
females, competition among, 13–14
fertility, 83, 85, 93, 111, 255, 285, 308, 309
fidelity, 64, 105, 108–109, 142, 160, 174–177, 199, 243, 276–278
See also infidelity
Fishel, Diane, 179
Fisher, R. A., 184
fitness signaling hypothesis, 183–185
Flaubert, Gustav, 127
Flinn, Mark, 303
fMRI brain scans, 203
Gallup, Gordon, 261
Gangestad, Steve, 89–90
gay men. See sexual orientation
Genghis Khan, 260
good genes, 33, 36, 52–53, 73, 77, 119, 141, 183
Gottschall, Jonathan, 255
Gottschall, Tiffani, 255
Grammer, Karl, 101
grandmother hypothesis, 309–310
Greiling, Heidi, 140
Griffin, Susan, 257
Hanna, Randel, 98
harassment, sexual, 245–248, 344
harmony
adaptations for, 327
benefits of, 349
changing mating behavior, 330, 347, 349
sexual fidelity, 348
See also staying together
Haselton, Martie, 131
Heche, Anne, 21
Hickman, Susan, 263
Hill, Kim, 80
Hill, Sarah, 72
Holmberg, A. R., 157
homosexuals. See sexual orientation
hookups, 122, 130, 146, 162, 321, 342
Hrdy, Sarah, 71
humor, 182–183
hunter-gatherer societies, 41–42, 312
industriousness, 48–49, 51, 71, 73
infanticide, 143
infibulation, 214–215
infidelity
ancestral history of, 117
cruelty and unkindness, 286
deception, 241
infidelity overperception bias, 201–204
jealousy as deterrent to, 15
men’s abhorrence of in wife, 109
murders, 142
sexual incompatibility and, 137
sperm competition, 251
violence and, 142, 214, 217–219, 256, 258, 277
intelligence
adaptive benefits of, 185
as desirable trait in mate, 68, 70, 71, 73, 123, 173, 331
increased success in same-sex competition, 4
as indicator of high genetic quality, 183
lack of as deal breaker, 68
as predictor of possession of economic resources, 51–53, 75
as predictor of upward mobility, 321
Internet dating
deception, use of, 58, 74, 162–164, 187
educated men’s advantage, 187
evolved sexual psychology, 332
sex ratio imbalance, 342
variety, men’s desire for, 122
websites, 103, 132, 162, 163, 164, 187, 332, 342
Janus, Cynthia, 137
Janus, Samuel, 137
jealousy
adaptations for, 15, 26, 195–196, 198, 201, 203–204, 218
belief hypothesis, 201
cuckoldry, 196–197
dangers of, 216–219
gender differences, 199–204
homicidal, 217–218
as mate-keeping tactic, 208–209
universality of, 215–216
Kenrick, Douglas, 39
kin selection theory, 97
kindness, 55, 62, 66–67, 73, 159, 161, 205, 348
Kinsey, Alfred, 96, 114, 118, 126, 127, 132, 133, 277, 304, 305
Kissinger, Henry, 41
Kuhle, Barry, 202
Lalumiere, Martin, 253
See also sexual orientation
Levy, Gary, 156
Li, Norman, 39
Lippa, Richard, 71
long-term mating, 11, 15, 19, 37, 44, 49, 53, 65, 75–77, 80–81, 108, 327
See also marriage
love
commitment, as cue to, 66–67, 76
marriage, as requirement for, 65
mate retention, 205
romantic notions of, 1
universality of, 64–65
Malinowski, Bronislaw, 87
Margulis, Lynn, 162
marriage
arranged, 141–142
assessment of potential mate, 153
benefits of for men, 105
commitment, changes in, 300–303
cultural patterns of, 24
intercourse, frequency of, 126
love as a requirement for, 65
mate preferences, changes in, 294–298, 311–316, 327
mate retention, 204–207, 212–216
men’s preference for younger women, 84–86
sexual desire, changes in, 298–300
See also breaking up; conflict; extramarital sex; harmony
marriage squeeze, 319
masturbation, 121
mate copying, 72–73
mate deprivation hypothesis, 253–254
mate ejection. See breaking up
mate guarding, 114, 192, 195, 301–303, 305
mate keeping
acts of love and kindness, 205
appearance, enhancement of, 206–207
benefits of, 189
concealment of mates, 210–211
derogation of competitors, 152, 174–176, 212
economic and material resources, 206
genital mutilation, 214
infibulation, 214–215
jealousy, inducing, 208–209
mate poaching, 192–195, 209–212
monopolization of mate, 210–211
public marking, 209–210
punishing mate, 213–214
submission or self-abasement, 207–208
threats and violence, 15, 212–213
vigilance, 15, 205, 210, 241–242
mate poaching, 168, 192–195, 209–213, 216, 337, 342
mate switching, 139, 212, 291, 305, 308, 340, 342
mate value
aging and, 276
assessing, 35
conflict over, 226
desirable personality characteristics, 56
as determined by individual women’s needs, 315–316
emotional manipulation and, 207–209
improving, 272
of men, 42–44, 74, 311–316, 326
rape and, 265
self-esteem and, 213
sexual overperception bias, 228
spousal abuse and, 214
of women, 83, 87, 168, 272, 276, 295–298, 301–303, 327
mating behavior
cultural variation in, 24, 340–343
desired length of relationship, 73
differences between the sexes, 331–333
effects of women’s desires on, 74–75
evolutionary roots of, 3–7
mate poaching, 168, 192–195, 209–213, 216, 337, 342
mate selection, 9–11, 36, 60, 76–77, 153, 185, 195
preferences, shared, 331
sexual mind reading, 180, 226–232, 228, 229
See also breaking up; casual sex; competition; conflict; Internet dating; men, mating preferences; women, mating preferences
mating strategies
adaptations for interference with, 266, 281
conflict and, 18–20
context and, 22–25
culture and, 24–25
diversity in, 338–340
early experiences, influence of, 341–342
as problem-solving methods, 7–9
sneak, or satellite, strategy, 167
withholding sex, 231, 232, 281–282, 290
See also long-term mating; sex ratio imbalance; short-term mating
McFarland, Jimi, 183
men
appearance, sexualization of, 178–179
closing-time effect, 131
coalitions among men, 334–335
competition for resources, 336–337
deception by, 162, 166, 186, 187, 240
emotional constrictedness, 234
extramarital sex patterns of, 306
fantasies, sexual, 127–129
income distribution by age, 314
low-commitment sex, 120, 124–130
mate value, 42–44, 74, 311–316, 326, 74
matelessness, 317–318
mortality of, 316–318
patriarchy, 333–338
post-orgasm shift, 131
rape, as perpetrators of, 249–250
regret, sexual, 129–130
resources, changes in, 273, 311–312
sexual orientation, development of, 21
sexual overperception bias, 227–229, 248
status and resource acquisition drives of, 71
variety, sexual, 81, 120–129, 132, 146, 250, 307, 332, 348
See also commitment; jealousy; social status of men
men, mating preferences of
actualization of, 100–101
adolescent males, 85
ancestral men, 82–83, 101, 105, 114, 151, 241
chastity and fidelity, 104–109
commitment, benefits of, 79–83
evolutionary bases of, 109–112
female’s physical appearance, 90–95
fertility of mate, 82–83
homosexuals’ preferences, 96–99, 110
low-commitment sex, 120, 124–130
marriage, 79–81
media effects on, 101–104
number of desired sex partners, 120–121
paternity, certainty of, 80, 105–106, 174, 195–196
reproductive potential of women, 86–87, 110
sex drive, 121
sex with strangers, 114, 121–122
sexual variety, 81, 120–129, 132, 146, 250, 307, 332
social status and, 81, 91, 95–96
universal, 110
See also extramarital sex
men-to-women ratio. See sex ratio imbalance
Mencken, H. L., 13
menopause
adaptations, 309–310
ancestral people, 309
grandmother hypothesis, 309–310
rapid reproduction and, 310–311, 325–326
Mesnick, Sarah, 263–264
morality, sexual, 185, 339–340
Muehlenhard, Charlene, 263
naturalistic fallacy, 26–27
non-paternity rates, 109
online dating. See Internet dating
orgasm, female
extramarital affairs and, 119, 305
as mating strategy, 120
as selection device, 119
sperm retention and, 118
Oring, Lewis, 139
Ovid, 157
ovulation
concealed, 105
cues, 104
physical changes during, 82
preference shifts, 141
risk avoidance during, 261–262
sexual liaisons and, 118
Palmer, Craig, 250
paternity, certainty of, 80, 105–106, 174, 195–196
patriarchy, 333–338
Perilloux, Carin, 228
polyandry, 24
polygyny, 24, 40, 84, 86, 192, 219, 283–285, 317, 318, 343
Posner, Richard, 107
pregnancy
after casual sex, 33, 143, 241
birth control, 34, 106, 112, 149, 261
spousal abuse during, 214
waist-to-hip ratio, 93
primary sexual orientation, 21
promiscuity, 116, 124, 137, 142, 175
psychological abuse, 243
psychological mechanisms
advertising, use of in, 102
assessment of relationship, 273
attracting a mate, 151–152
changes in relationship, 295, 316, 325
coercive sex, 250–251
commitment, 68
conflict and, 238
cultural variations, 343
defined, 5
homosexual mate preferences, 110
infidelity, 281
mate selection, 36
mate-switching, 291
resources and status, attainment of, 334
short-term mating, 120, 143, 340
spousal homicide, 219
psychological pain hypothesis, 265
psychology, evolutionary, 5
rape
anti-rape defenses, 259–266
bodyguard hypothesis, 263–265
distribution of across female menstrual cycle, 261
high ratio of males, 324
male proclivity toward, 256
male rapists, characteristics of, 256, 324
marital, 256
marital status, sexual victimization and, 264–265
mate deprivation hypothesis, 252–253
pregnancy rate after, 254–255
psychological pain hypothesis, 265
rape-as-adaptation theory, 250–251, 266
risk avoidance during ovulation, 261–262
“special friends,” 260
stranger rape, fear of, 263
types of, 256–257
victim trauma, 258–259
victims, age of, 254
war related, 257, 259–260, 346
women’s risk avoidance maneuvers, 262–263
young women, vulnerability of, 254
young women’s fear of, 263
reproduction expediting, 305
reproductivity
concealed ovulation, 104
female beauty and, 86–87, 90, 92–93
mate value of women, 83, 87, 168, 272, 276, 295–298, 302–303, 327
reproductive advantages, 10–11, 62–63
reproductive success, 8, 15, 33–34, 80, 101, 105–106, 290, 298, 312, 336, 345
resources
access to, 44–45, 69, 134–135, 335–336
changes in men’s, 273, 311–312
dependability and stability, importance of, 49–51
display of, 154–157
failure to provide, 69, 282–283
fidelity/infidelity, 64–65, 276–278
health of mate and, 62
intelligence as predictor of resource acquisition, 51–53, 75
investment of, 235–238
mate retention, 206
men’s ability to attract wives, 74
men’s control of, 333–338
as necessity rather than luxury, 39, 44
potential, 35, 36–41, 47–49, 156
powerful women’s preferences, 67–71
securing commitment of, 67
sharing among wives, 284–285
short-term sex and, 134–135
social status, 41–44
stockpiling, 312
withholding, 288
women’s preference for older men, 44–48
romantic fallacy, 27
Rubin, Zick, 54
Scelza, Brooke, 202
Schwartz, Pepper, 99
sex cells, differences in, 31–32
sex ratio imbalance
among college-educated group, 320
destabilization of marriages, 321, 323
divorce rates, 322
earlier death of men, 319
female participation in paid employment, 322
lower mate value of older women, 321
men marrying younger women, 319
sexual strategies, 24–25, 324–325, 342
short-term sex and, 145–146, 187
violence toward women, 323–324
war, likelihood of, 324
women’s enhancement of appearance, 323
sex-role reversed species, 32
sexual aggressiveness, 229–231
sexual assault. See rape
sexual desire, changes in over time, 298–300
sexual mind reading, 180, 226–232, 228, 229
sexual orientation
butch vs. femme, 71–72
casual sex and, 132–133
development of in males, 21, 22
genetic basis of, 20
kin selection theory, 97
mate preferences of homosexuals, 71–72, 96–99
primary, 21
same-sex mate preference percentage, 96–97
sexual flexibility of women, 21–22
sexual overperception bias, 227–229, 248
sexual selection theory, 3–5
sexual signaling, 177–182
sexy son hypothesis, 140–141, 167, 184
short-term mating, 11, 19, 34, 62, 80, 108, 153, 160, 175, 182, 187, 246, 308, 339, 340
See also casual sex
sincerity, 66
Singh, Devendra, 91–92
Slemp, Jennifer, 178
Smith, Robert, 138
Smuts, Barbara, 57, 60, 260, 333, 335
sneak, or satellite, strategy, 167
social conflict, 224
social status of men
attracting mates, 151–153
commitment, 81
competition for, 166–167
conflict, 224
control of resources, 41–42
mate value, 42–44, 74, 311–316
tallness, 58
women’s beauty and, 95–96, 100–101
women’s response to sexual harassment and, 248
sociosexual orientation, 115
specialized psychological pain, 265
sperm competition, 116, 191, 251, 256
sperm production, effect of
separation of mates from each other on, 117
sperm retention and orgasm, 118
Sprecher, Sue, 64
status competition, 166
staying together
emotional manipulation, 207–209
exploitation of psychological adaptations, 220–221
fulfilling mate’s desires, 204–207
mate-poaching, 168, 192–195, 209–213, 216, 337, 342
preserving a long-term bond, 290
sexual jealousy and, 195–200, 216–219
See also harmony; mate keeping
strategic interference, 19
structural powerlessness, 70–71
studies. See animal studies; cultural studies
testes, sperm competition and size of, 116
Tinder, 162, 163, 164, 187, 332, 342
Tooke, William, 161
Townsend, John Marshall, 156
Trivers, Robert, 162
Twain, Mark, 308
variety, sexual, 81, 120–129, 132, 146, 250, 307, 332
vigilance, 15, 196, 205, 210, 241, 243, 302
violence
in combat, 270–271
female vulnerability, 138
infidelity, 217
intimate partner, 243–245, 256
jealousy, 15, 208, 214, 217, 220
to mate poachers, 194, 196, 212–213
as mate retention tactic, 15, 212
mating and, 343–347
protection by extended kin, 257
against women, 260, 265, 323–324
virginity, 106–108, 111, 130, 136, 341
Wade, T. Joel, 178
waist-to-hip ratio, 92–93
war-related rape, 257, 259–260, 346
Wiederman, Michael, 70
Wilson, Margo, 263–264
withdrawal of sex, 281–282, 290
Wolf, Naomi, 172
women
anti-rape defenses, 259–266
appearance, sexualization of, 178–179
changes in mate value, 295–298, 301, 327
competition among, 14–15, 103–104, 337
concealed ovulation, 104
cosmetic advertisements, negative effects of, 173–174
exploitation of men’s sexual overperception bias, 229
fantasies, 129, 229–230, 305, 308, 332
flexibility, sexual, 21–22
harassment, sexual, 247–248, 344
ideal body shape, perception of, 91
limited reproductive opportunities of, 33
mate choice, investment in, 32–33
mate-finding difficulty of college-educated women, 320
mate guarding of young wives, 303
moodiness, 234–235
orgasm, functions of, 118–119
patriarchy, role of women in, 334–335
prostitution, 135–136
reproductive capacity, 83, 86–87, 90
reproductive value of, 33, 82–83, 86–87
sex drive, 121
sexual regret, 129–130
sexual signaling, 177–182
withholding sex, 231, 232, 281–282, 290
See also commitment
women, mating preferences of ambition, 34, 48–49
ancestral women, 33–34, 41, 45, 53, 76, 114, 134, 151, 241
assessment of a man’s attributes, 34–36
compatibility, 53–56
context-dependent shifts in, 72–73
deal breakers, 68
dependability, 49, 51, 73, 327, 331, 344
education, 42–43
emotional stability, 50–51
emotional support, 65
evolutionary roots of, 31–34
fidelity, 64
health cues, 60–62
incest avoidance, 68
industriousness, 48–49, 51, 71, 73
lesbian preferences, 71–72
love, 63–66
masculine features/masculinity, 57–62
mate copying, 72
mate value of older men, 44–48, 314, 326
men’s status and resource-acquisition drives, influence on, 71
number of desired sex partners, 120–121
nurturance toward children, 159–160
during ovulation, 141
resource potential, 36–41
sex with strangers, 114, 121–122
social status, 41–45
tallness, 58–59
temporary lovers, 81, 135, 137, 140
universality of, 40
V-shaped torso, 58
women with power, 68–71
younger men, 46–47
See also casual sex; extramarital sex; intelligence; long-term mating; short-term mating
Yosef, Reuven, 37
youth
appearance enhancement by women, 168–174
gay men’s preference for, 97, 99, 110
as indicator of reproductive potential, 110
mate value of women, 296, 301, 311–315, 327
media images of, 102
men’s preference for, 83–86, 111, 296, 327
physical cues to, 87–90
Zahavi, Amotz, 184