Is the root of our attraction in Evolutionary Theory?
The root of male female attraction: is this the greatest mystery of all? People have been wondering for generations just what is the source of the thing that makes someone attracted to someone else? And while we are asking this question, how about finding out how do I make it work for me?
This question has been the basis of academic study from Ivy League school academics to pop culture gurus and falls under the sub heading of behavioural studies. There are many theories. In the words of one well known dating expert: “attraction is not a choice“.
He may not be wrong. It seems as if, some scientists and academics would agree.
Evolutionary Theory of human attraction provides that interpersonal attraction occurs when someone has physical features indicating that he or she is very fertile. It is a simple theory that relies on the premise that the sole purpose of relationships is reproduction. Because of this people invest in partners who appear to be very “reproductive”, which would naturally seem to increase the chance of their genes being passed down to the next generation.
An obvious weakness to this theory has been the lack of its ability to explain attraction between same-sex couples or attraction between couples who do not want children.
Other evolutionary theories suggest that reproduction in a partner is of greater importance to men than to women. This theory posits the concept that women place more emphasis on a man’s ability to provide. The theory suggests that these resources are the key to a woman successfully raising her children. This ability to provide may also be passed on to male offspring – an underlying genetic characteristic that females value in a mate. What woman would not want her male offspring to be resilient?
Additional aspects of Evolutionary Theory propose that comely physical features are healthy. The theory suggests that a robust mates are more probable to have healthy genetic characteristics. Another reason to desire a mate who can pass these physical attributes on to the young.
However, there are detractors to these theories. The root of their arguments pose that the environment exacts a much stronger influence on male female attraction than does reproductive survival.
Whatever the truth may be, men and women will likely go on asking themselves these questions for a long time. However, if science ever arrives at the definitive answer you can be assured that both sexes will be lining up to use that knowledge to increase their odds of a successful relationship. Attraction may not be a choice, but all is fair in love and war.
