Summary of David M. Buss's The Evolution of Desire

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 The elements of human mating are extremely confusing. We grow up believing in true love, finding our one and only, and assuming that once we do, we will live happily ever after. But reality rarely coincides with our beliefs.

#2 Sexual selection is the process by which certain characteristics are chosen based on their mating benefits, instead of their survival benefits. It takes two forms: same-sex competition, in which members of the same sex compete with each other, and mate choice, in which individuals choose a mate based on their preferences for particular qualities.

#3 The theory of sexual selection was first developed to explain mating behavior, and it was fiercely resisted by male scientists for over a century because it seemed to grant too much power to females.

#4 I began an international study to see how mates are selected in different cultures, and found that many of the findings did not agree with conventional thinking. They forced a shift from the standard view of men’s and women’s sexual psychology.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Mar 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669376231

IRB Media

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Insights on David M. Buss's The Evolution of Desire

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

The elements of human mating are extremely confusing. We grow up believing in true love, finding our one and only, and assuming that once we do, we will live happily ever after. But reality rarely coincides with our beliefs.

#2

Sexual selection is the process by which certain characteristics are chosen based on their mating benefits, instead of their survival benefits. It takes two forms: same-sex competition, in which members of the same sex compete with each other, and mate choice, in which individuals choose a mate based on their preferences for particular qualities.

#3

The theory of sexual selection was first developed to explain mating behavior, and it was fiercely resisted by male scientists for over a century because it seemed to grant too much power to females.

#4

I began an international study to see how mates are selected in different cultures, and found that many of the findings did not agree with conventional thinking. They forced a shift from the standard view of men’s and women’s sexual psychology.

#5

Sexual strategies are adapted solutions to mating problems. They are the methods by which humans solve problems and achieve goals. Each sexual strategy is tailored to a specific adaptive problem, such as identifying a desirable mate or besting competitors in attracting a mate.

#6

Our sexual desires have evolved in the same way as many other desires. We show great fondness for substances rich in fat, sugar, protein, and salt, and an aversion to substances that are bitter, sour, pathogenic, or toxic. These food preferences solve a basic problem of survival.

#7

The weaverbird’s preference for male weavers with desirable nests is similar to the preference women have for men who are willing and able to commit to them over the long term.

#8

The mating process among elephant seals is similar to that of humans. The stronger, larger, and more ferocious males are able to secure mates, and they pass on the genes that confer these qualities to their sons.

#9

Competition among men and women is common in the animal world, and it exists among humans as well. The tactics used to compete are often dictated by the preferences of those we are trying to attract.

#10

The problem of maintaining a mate is another important adaptive problem. Mates may continue to be desirable to rivals, who may poach, thereby undoing all the effort devoted to attracting, courting, and committing to the mate.

#11

Jealousy is a highly sensitive instinct that is driven by context and environment. It is not a rigid, invariant instinct that drives robotlike, mechanical action.

#12

Humans have evolved various strategies for selecting and keeping a good mate, and for jettisoning a bad one. Divorce occurs in all known