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Theories and Concepts

Sexual Strategies Theory

Evolutionary Psychology

An evolutionary theory of human mating created by David Buss and David Schmitt in 1993, explaining sex differences in mating psychology as evolved strategies shaped by the differing reproductive challenges men and women faced. A rival account, social role theory, attributes the same differences to social structure rather than evolved adaptation. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Disputed
Core Claim
Sexual strategies theory (SST) is an evolutionary theory of human mating created by David Buss and David Schmitt in 1993. 1
Rival social role theory (Alice Eagly and Wendy Wood) attributes the same sex differences in mating psychology to social structure rather than evolved adaptation; see the recorded dissent.
Origin Year
1993 1
Connections

Developed By

David Buss, Psychologists
Source Wikipedia: Sexual Strategies Theory

In Branch

Evolutionary Psychology, Branches of Psychology
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Sexual Strategies Theory
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction section
    Sexual strategies theory (SST) is an evolutionary theory of human mating created by David Buss and David Schmitt in 1993.
  • Developed By: David Buss, Lead section
    Sexual strategies theory (SST) is an evolutionary theory of human mating created by David Buss and David Schmitt in 1993. It defines the set of mating strategies that humans pursue, the adaptive problems that men and women face when pursuing these strategies, and the evolved solutions to these mating problems.
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Dissenting Readings (1 dissenting reading)
Core Claim

Alice Eagly and Wendy Wood's social role theory argues that evolutionary forces did not produce psychological adaptations directing human mating decisions, attributing the sex differences sexual strategies theory explains to social structure instead. Contrary to what social role theory would predict, research measuring these sex differences across cultures has found them larger, not smaller, in more gender-egalitarian societies.

A dissenting reading, from Alice Eagly and Wendy Wood (social role theory)Wikipedia: Sexual Strategies Theory, Wikimedia Foundation
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