Buss 1989 Sex differences in mate preferences

Objectives Lesson 1  To understand the context, aims and procedures of Buss’s evolutionary study  To have notes for exam revision

Objectives Lesson 2  To understand the findings and conclusions of Buss’s evolutionary study  To have notes for exam revision

Objectives Lesson 3  To evaluate Buss’s evolutionary study in terms of methodology and alternative evidence  To have notes for exam revision

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

Context – 3 Predictions 1) Parental Investment  YouTube - Girls Dont Like Boys-Good Charlotte (lyrics) YouTube - Girls Dont Like Boys-Good Charlotte (lyrics)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.

Context – 3 Predictions 2)Reproductive Value  Women’s 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.

Context – 3 Predictions 3)Paternity Probability  Men can never be 100% sure that their partners offspring are genetically their own, so:  Men should prefer women who are CHASTE (haven’t had other sexual partners) and will show more sexual jealousy than women

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)

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

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.

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

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

Procedures 2 Questionnaires  Ranking Questionnaire  13 characteristics  Rank from 1-13, 1 = most desirable  Included 2 TARGET VARIABLES – highlight them on your sheet

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)

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

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)

Findings Age Difference  All 37 samples males preferred younger mates  Highlight 3 related findings on your sheet

Findings Age Difference (male view)  All 37 samples males preferred younger mates  Mean preferred age difference by males = 2.66 years  Preferred marriage age for men =  Therefore ideal woman = close to PEAK FERTILITY rather than reproductive value.

Findings Age Difference (female view)  All 37 samples females preferred older mates  Mean preferred age difference by females = 3.42 years  Preferred marriage age for women =  Therefore ideal man =  Polygynous countries – males preference to be older was strongest Nigeria (6.45) Zambia (7.38)

Findings Good 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

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

Findings Validity Check  Do self-reported preferences reflect what people actually do?  Do mate preferences accuratety reflect mating decisions?  YES – why? (p118)

Conclusions  Complete the Conclusions task on your sheet

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

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

Conclusions  Females prefer older mates  Supports the idea they are looking for resources (Trivers)  Males value chastity supporting Daly on paternity probability, but evidence isn’t so strong.

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

Evaluation Methodology  Validity  Translation – 3 translators were used: why would this increase validity  What problems could occur with reading questions to people who couldn’t read?  Answer 2 further issues from your sheet

Evaluation Methodology  Sampling  Ethics  In Pairs, answer the questions on your sheet.

Evaluation Alternative 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)