Kimberly Metzger and Monica Wolking
Freshman Seminar Final Paper
December 11, 1998
Have you ever stopped to wonder why exactly some people are drawn to each other? Have you ever noticed that what one perceives as attractive and beautiful can be seen as the complete opposite to another? What are the defining factors that come into play when humans select their mates? These are all important aspects of human nature that we must take into consideration when we look at the process of our human mate selection.Humans are obviously very different from other mammals in our vast world. When it comes to mate selection, we are seeking more than just a reproductive partner; we are looking for someone to spend our life time with. Essentially, our human hormones and instincts are responsible for the human process of reproduction, not very different from other mammals.
Males and females are seeking many qualities in their mates. This differs with personal opinion, of course, but there is some consistency. Males and females have two different thought patterns. Males are more showy whereas the females tend to be more choosy. To grasp a better understanding of this, we need to look at the two sexes separately.
Males by nature are more physical and rambunctious. They view other males as their opponents and rivals. They feel as though they are in competition with each other to gain the attention of the female of their choosing. This is often referred to as intrasexual selection or male-male competition. This competition is just a reinforcement of the typical aggressive male behavior and need to display dominance in work as well as in play. The male’s main focus in reproduction is to pass as many of his genes onto offspring as possible. The male is "successful" when he accomplishes this task. While we must take into consideration the cultural background from which the male comes, there are some characteristics that are consistent in most men. Males’ first priority in selecting a female is her beauty. As in most other animal species, men look for youth. This is characterized by flawless skin, not wrinkled or saggy which comes with aging. What is distinguished universally as attractive are women with a small nose, large eyes with a large space in between them, prominent cheekbones and a small, narrow chin.
Females, on the other hand, are relatively more choosy than their counterparts. They look for beneficial traits that are to be passed onto their offspring. Females, like the males, feel as though they are in competition with each other. They feel a rivalry in gaining the affection and ability to charm the male of their desire. Females are very particular in their mate selection. This is attributed to the females having a limited number of eggs where as the males have millions of sperm. Some of the aspects that females look for in a mate are those such as paternal care, compatibility, health, and stability (emotionally, financially, and socially). They are looking for the best possible candidate for their offspring, the "good genes hypothesis."
Charles Darwin observed that competition for mates plays a vital role in reproductive success, a process he called sexual selection. Darwin hypothesized that traits that provide males with mating and fertilization advantages will evolve in the population because males with these traits will produce more offspring. These offspring will in turn possess these traits and will continue to have greater reproductive success. Some of these traits may evolve because they attract the attention of females.
We administered a mate selection test to twenty males and our results coincided with the general research that we discovered. Our tested males in general preferred women who had large eyes , small chins, and brightly colored, full lips. On the point of hair, males chose women with brown hair 50% of the time, red hair 17%, and blonde hair 33%. Long blonde hair was preferred to short blonde hair 3:1; short red hair was preferred to long red hair 2:1; and short and long brown hair were preferred equally.
After we have looked at some of the factors involved with human mate selection, we can come to many conclusions. There are a vast amount of things that must be considered and aspects to be taken from. We all are human, and as humans we are instilled with many innate needs, the most important of which is to reproduce. That is the bottom line in the selection of a mate. We have to produce offspring to keep our species thriving. However, while there are those constant human characteristics, we must look beyond only that. We must take into consideration our cultural backgrounds. What is expected of us? How is our society’s viewpoint effecting ours? There has been much debate as well as research with the topic of human beauty. What defines beauty? What is seen as beautiful in one culture can be seen as grotesque in another. The most accurate definition of beauty is that it is in the eye of the beholder.
Works Cited