What women want | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Women's mate selection and reasons for having affairs are debated in the field of evolutionary psychology, with hypotheses focusing on cues to good genes or mate switching.

Key Insights

• 🌟 Women's short-term mating preferences may not solely be focused on physical attractiveness or good genes, but may also involve strategic mate switching to transition out of a failing relationship or to trade up in the mating market.
• 🔀 Mate switching hypothesis suggests that women engage in affairs to divest themselves of a cost-inflicting partner and explore better opportunities in the mating market, rather than just seeking good genes.
• 💪 Women prefer men with a high shoulder-to-hip ratio and who are physically fit and toned but not excessively muscle-bound.
• ⚕️ Men obsessing too much about their bodies and physical appearance may signal narcissism to women, which is not considered an attractive trait.
• 💰 Resources and the ability to acquire and dispense them have always been important to women, representing a cue for evolutionary fitness.
• 🍆 There are speculations that penis size may matter to some women, but individual preferences and anatomical variations contribute to variability in this preference.
• 👙 Men's attraction to breasts may be linked to their sexually dimorphic nature and their association with fertility, similar to preferences for waist-to-hip ratio.
• 👗 Fashion and clothing choices can serve as signals of status and can also accentuate evolutionary standards of beauty, such as waist-to-hip ratio.

Transcript

Read and summarize the transcript of this video on Glasp Reader (beta).

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do women have affairs?

One hypothesis is that women have affairs to obtain good genes from one partner while receiving investment from their regular partner. However, the mate switching hypothesis suggests that affairs are a way for women to leave unsatisfactory partners and either trade up or re-enter the mating market.

Q: How does physical appearance factor into mate selection?

Physical attractiveness, such as a high shoulder-to-hip ratio and symmetrical features, are often considered attractive cues that represent good genes. However, other factors like overall physical fitness and height also play a role.

Q: Does penis size matter in sexual selection?

There is controversy surrounding the importance of penis size in evolutionary psychology. While some women may have a preference for larger sizes, preferences vary among individuals and may depend on the woman's anatomy.

Q: Why are men attracted to breasts?

Men are attracted to sexually dimorphic features, and breasts are a sexually dimorphic characteristic in females. The shape of breasts can be a cue to fertility, and this attraction is innate rather than driven solely by cultural influences.

Q: What is the significance of wearing clothes and the shame associated with nudity?

The reasons for wearing clothes and the association of shame with nudity are not completely understood. It is speculated that clothing may serve a social function by magnifying inherent standards of beauty and enhancing a person's status. It may also be a way to hide ovulation or play a game theoretic strategy of exerting power.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Traditional hypothesis states that women are attracted to cues of good genes, such as symmetrical and masculine features, in short-term mating.

• However, the mate switching hypothesis suggests that affairs are a way for women to divest themselves of cost-inflicting or unsatisfactory partners, in order to transition back into the mating market or trade up.

• There is a heated debate among evolutionary psychologists regarding which hypothesis is more accurate.