Mate Selection

The primary biological drive that results in marriage is the urge to establish a stable pair-bond relationship in order to give birth to and raise offspring. Mate choices spring from the drive to find the best possible choice, based on this drive. Marriage may, of course, result from other biological urges, principally the needs for companionship or economic stability. However, mate selection is primarily driven (often unconsciously) by the procreative force. As David M. Buss writes, "Every person is alive because of a successful mating. People who failed to mate in the past are not our ancestors" (11).

The specific characteristics that defin

. . .
determining suitability. Other aspects of sexual attraction are more affected by cultural (and sometimes individual psychological) preferences: for slightly wider hips or fuller buttocks, for example, or for more or less facial hair. Nevertheless, "The available evidence shows that people across cultures see clear and supple skin, absence of wrinkles, lustrous hair, full lips. clear eyes, good health, regular features, and other signs of youth and health as attractive" (Buss 13). From there, humans proceed to discovering character clues. Because the pair-bond is expected to last at least long enough to raise children, agreeable personality traits are universally important. Buss' study supports this. People across all cultural lines seek a mate whose reliability and even temper will wear well over the years and contribute to good parenting skills. The physical clues that accompany this courtship phase are also universal; Morris notes, "Film of young couples shot in wildly differing cultures all around the world shows remarkable similarities during [the courtship] phase" (Human Animal 131). Gender differences in mate preferences are also rooted in biological drives. Biologically, men need to mate with women most likely t
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Human Animal, Naked Ape, Claude Levi-Strauss, , David Buss, Desmond Morris, human animal, mate selection, Brain Sciences, York Crown, naked ape, Boston Beacon, Hypotheses Tested, human animal 145, animal 145, raise children, morris observes, gender differences, biological drives, evolutionary developments, morris notes,
Approximate Word count = 1844
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Mate Selection