Do women have evolved mate preferences for men with resources? : A reply to Smuts

Abstract

Research by more than 50 scientists studying more than 10,000 individuals inhabiting 33 countries, six continents, and five islands supports the hypothesis that women have evolved mate preferences for men who show cues of resource possession or resource acquisition potential. Smuts' (1991) apparent view that these species-typical preferences do not exist is contravened by the scientific evidence. Repeated assertions that "behaviors depends on context" do not illuminate our understanding in the absence of specifying which behaviors, which contexts, and which evolved mechanisms are activated by the relevant contextual input. Progress in the study of evolution and human behavior depends on using key terms in consensually defined rather than idiosyncratic ways, on distinguishing evolved psychological mechanisms from manifest behavior, and on giving greater weight to cumulative scientific evidence than to subjective impressions.