Sign In
Not register? Register Now!
Essay Available:
Pages:
2 pages/≈550 words
Sources:
2 Sources
Style:
APA
Subject:
Psychology
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 9.72
Topic:

Gender Differences in Mate Selection

Essay Instructions:

Evolutionary theory is often invoked to explain gender differences in mate selection. If the motive to reproduce explains men's attraction to young (pretty) women and women's attraction to financially stable men—as evolutionary psychologists claim—then how does it explain the increasing number of women who do not depend on men for financial stability because they are themselves economically independent?
Or, how does one explain the increasing number of women who choose not to have children? If they do not plan to have children, then they certainly do not need a financially stable mate committed to the long-term care of offspring they do not intend to have. Or, how can evolutionary theory explain the increasing number of women who are not married yet have children?
For this Discussion, you will examine conditions that influence diffusion of responsibility from the perspective of mate selection.
Review the Learning Resources for this week and examine how social psychology theories and research explain mate selection.
Compare evolutionary theory and social psychology theories as they apply to mate selection.
Post whether or not the rules of attraction change for women as a function of their economic independence. Explain whether or not the rules of attraction are biological imperatives or cultural constructions, or both. Please use social psychology theory to refute claims based on evolutionary theory.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Gender Differences in Mate Selection
Student's Name
College/University
Course
Professor's Name
Due Date
Mate selection constitutes a crucial phenomenon in human society's continuous development and a multifaceted decision-making problem in social psychology. The rules of attraction among women do not change as they achieve significant economic independence. According to mate selection gradient theory, mate selection is based on the matching approach of "women seeking high and men seeking low," reflecting the impact of community norms' on the new family structure. As women achieve greater financial independence, they are not likely to change the rules of attraction because personal values and preferences are a result of socialization. Regardless of their economic status and educational levels, women tend to select dominant males because they demonstrate a sense of direction regarding investment decisions, educational attainment, and other areas of life (Hou et al., 2020). This argument derives from the premise that women develop gender-based expectations concerning what is expected of their partners via the socialization process, which drives them to select superior partners notwithstanding their financial independence.
Both biological and cultural factors influence the rules of attraction. The evolutionary model proposes that women and men have undergone evolution anchored on sex-specific mental dynamics from primeval environments that drive them to differ psychologically when choosing a partner. This is a biological explanation because it predisposes men and women to behave in sexually differential ways during mate selection. In contrast, the cultural perspective states that evolved psychological dispositions do not necessarily influence mate selection approaches. Instead, cultural constructions derive from different social positions that women and men have historically occupied within the community (Frederick & Reynolds, 2022). This is congruent with the gradient theory of mate selection. This theory indicates that socialization, as opposed to biological explanations, influences how women and men cultivate contrasting gender role expectations concerning their prospective spouses, including how they view the value of economic resources when selecting a life partner (Hou et al., 2020).
References
Frederick, D. A., & Reynolds, T. A. (2022). The Value of Integrating Evolutionary and Sociocultural Perspectives on Body Image. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51(1), 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01947-4
Hou, J., Shu, T., & Fang, X. (2020). Influence of resources on cue pr...
Updated on
Get the Whole Paper!
Not exactly what you need?
Do you need a custom essay? Order right now:
Order

👀 Other Visitors are Viewing These APA Essay Samples: