Why do women cheat? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Women's mate preferences are influenced by both physical attractiveness and cues to good genes in the short term, but the traditional explanation may not completely capture women's behavior in affairs.

Key Insights

• 👩‍⚕️ Women prioritize physical appearance in short-term mating, seeking cues to physical attractiveness and health.
• 🧔‍♀️ The traditional explanation of women's mate preferences may not fully explain their behavior in affairs, where emotional attachment becomes significant.
• 🙈 Affairs are seen as a way for women to remove themselves from a partnership that is not fulfilling and seek opportunities for better mating prospects.
• 🧑‍🏭 Women's mate preferences are complex and influenced by both evolutionary factors and individual circumstances.
• 🧔‍♀️ The mate switching hypothesis offers an alternative explanation for the behavior of women in affairs, emphasizing divestment from unsatisfying partnerships.
• 🍉 Women's mate preferences can change depending on their mating goals, with short-term mating involving different criteria than long-term commitment.
• 👩‍🔬 Evolutionary psychology is an evolving field, and ongoing research is necessary to better understand women's mate preferences.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What do women want in terms of physical appearance for short-term mating?

Physical attractiveness is important to women in short-term mating, including features like symmetrical and masculine traits such as a strong jawline and high shoulder to hip ratio.

Q: What is the traditional explanation for women's mate preferences?

The traditional explanation is that women seek cues to good genes in the short term and cues to resources in the long term, using markers like symmetrical features and masculine traits to assess genetic quality.

Q: Why do women have affairs if they're just trying to get good genes?

Research shows that when women have affairs, a large majority of them (70% or more) tend to fall in love with or become attached to their affair partner. This challenges the idea that women's affairs are solely about obtaining good genes.

Q: What is the mate switching hypothesis?

The mate switching hypothesis suggests that affairs are a way for women to divest themselves of a partner with whom things aren't working out well. It allows them to transition back into the mating market or trade up for a better partner.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Women are attracted to physical appearance, including cues of physical attractiveness and health, for short-term mating.

• Traditional evolutionary psychology suggests that women seek cues to good genes in the short term and cues to resources in the long term.

• However, new findings challenge this explanation, particularly when it comes to women's behavior in affairs.