Chap10-add

From Drmills

Buss p 182

MOVE THIS TO WHERE? Some research has been done to try to analyze the differences between women who are and who aren’t pursuing short term mating. Greiling & Buss found that women engaged in short term matings perceive them as highly beneficial. Particularly, they felt that these matings benefited them in the domains of sexual resources (i.e. having pleasurable sex) and in feeling very attractive to potential partners (in press). Women who did engage in short term matings also stated that these matings were more likely to happen when there were problems in the relationship with their long-term partner. Also, In comparison to women who avoided short-term matings, the short term mating women underestimated the cost of reputation damage to themselves.

In short-term matings, resources may or may not be as important to women. If the woman is already paired with a mate who can provide adequately, she may simply look for physical attractiveness in a short-term mate, trying to get “good genes” for her offspring. If she is not happily or adequately mated, acquiring resources may be important for her in finding a mate, short term or otherwise. In a short term mating context, women may emphasize the importance of the immediacy of resource investment—that is, she will look for a mate who is willing to give generous gifts early on in the relationship (Buss & Schmitt, 1993).

...and make sure he is willing to share his resources

Mealey p 246:

Reproductive suppression is a possible result of stress between both human and non-human female animals. Stress hormones and sex hormones are both in the steroid group and thus feedback from one can affect the other. Through physical, psychological and social aggression females can reduce reproductive ability in competing females. In what are perceived to be harsh psycho-social circumstances (low self-esteem, little or no social support from relations) there are reproductive problems, such as delayed ovulation, spontaneous abortions and even child abuse (Wasser & Barash,1983).</font>

Short-term mating is, for females, not a satisfying solution as a single female is greatly stressed in facing the long-term demands in rearing children.</font>

Anderies (1996) concluded that when there is competition for resources, women apparently do not bear their full potential of offspring; they seem to suppress their fertility. Self-suppression might be adaptive, or stronger women may inhibit the fertility of others by inducing stress, reserving resources for their own offspring. </font>

In the !Kung tribe dominant females can repress the fertility and thus value of other women (Basser & Barash, NO YEAR GIVEN P 248). In a 10-year cycle fewer than 50% of women had more than 2 children. </font>

Menstrual synchrony (McClintock , 1971) might be a form of reproductive competition.</font>

Menstrual synchrony indicates ovulatory synchrony (McClintock, 1981)—or estrous synchrony in nonmenstrual animals. Zeitgebers, such as daylength and seasonal temperatures may control estrous cycles in seasonal breeders. Pheromones of a dominant male or female, or the group say Foley and Fitzgerald (1996). Humans may control such synchrony via pheromones released in the underarm sweat glands. McClintock (1997) states that there are conflcting opinions as to whether a dominant woman’s pheromones affects the physical fertility of others or whether the group synchrony occurs in concert. </font>

Evolutionary function: Low (1979) suggests that monogamy is enforced for the moment when one man cannot service all the women who are fertile at once. Such monogamy would ensure paternity and increase his paternal investment. Kiltie (1982) notes that the dominant wife in a polygynous arrangement would have more reproductive success at the cost of others. Synchrony is more likely to be a modern-day artifact, rather than an evolutionary event (Foley & Fitzgerald, 1996) since, Strassmann (1996) adds, most women in the past would be pregnant or nursing if not postmenopausal. Given that only a few women at a time would be menstruating, menstrual synchrony would not have been an evolutionary priority.</font>