Sex,Caregiving,andLoveinRomanticRelationshipsOther.pptVIP

Sex, Caregiving, and Love in Romantic Relationships: Other Perspectives from Evolutionary Psychology Lee A. Kirkpatrick College of William Mary September, 2004 Preface Outstanding problem in adult attachment theory: Integrate attachment with mating and other systems within an evolutionary perspective From evolutionary perspective, must begin with mating/reproduction Potential role of attachment-like processes must be understood in terms of contribution to adaptive mating/reproductive strategies Cf. infancy, where survival is chief life task Outline I. Human Mating Strategies pluralistic and facultative II. Attachment control system vs. affectional bond III. Love and Caregiving commitment and altruism IV. Individual Differences in Adult Attachment sociosexuality and long-term/short-term mating V. Conclusions I. Human Mating Strategies: Theory Human mating strategies as pluralistic long-term vs. short-term strategies in both sexes (Buss Schmitt, 1993) restricted vs. unrestricted sociosexuality in both sexes (Gangestad Simpson, 1990) Separate neurotransmitter systems enable simultaneous pursuit of multiple mating strategies (Fisher, 2002) Human mating strategies as facultative adaptive costs and benefits (Buss Schmitt, 1993) ecological factors (Gangestad Simpson, 2000) I. Human Mating Strategies: Evidence Cross-cultural evidence Prevalence of divorce, extra-marital affairs, prostitution, polygamy; variation in sociosexuality Behavioral and self-report evidence Desire for multiple sex partners, content of sexual fantasies, willingness to engage in sex with strangers, etc. (esp. among men) Other adaptations Comparative testis size, sexual dimorphism in stature Mechanisms for sperm competition Sexual jealousy, other defenses against mate-poaching I. Human Mating Strategies: Conclusion Humans are not designed to be exclusively (or even “predominantly”) monogamous However, no reason why adult-attachment researchers need to argue or assume so Existence of ST mating