Abstract A brief history of evolutionary theory illustrates its long development and sociopolitical context. Major theoretical concepts in evolutionary theory are introduced that lay the groundwork for more detailed discussion in later texts. Two incarnations of evolutionary theory—sociobiology and evolutionary psychology—are described in some detail. Criticisms of these ideas are reviewed and evaluated. Evolutionary psychology, with its emphasis on sexual selection theory, has proven to be a rich approach, generating many new insights into human sexuality.
{"title":"A Brief History of the Theory of Evolution","authors":"M. Kauth","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n02_02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n02_02","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A brief history of evolutionary theory illustrates its long development and sociopolitical context. Major theoretical concepts in evolutionary theory are introduced that lay the groundwork for more detailed discussion in later texts. Two incarnations of evolutionary theory—sociobiology and evolutionary psychology—are described in some detail. Criticisms of these ideas are reviewed and evaluated. Evolutionary psychology, with its emphasis on sexual selection theory, has proven to be a rich approach, generating many new insights into human sexuality.","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"23 - 68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n02_02","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This paper examines male-male sexual behavior from an evolutionary perspective. I begin with a discussion of the major difficulties associated with the scientific study of homosexuality and a clarification of some concepts in human sexuality and evolutionary psychology. Following is a presentation of several established evolutionary theories of homosexuality and a critique of their major assumptions. Based on common patterns of male-male sexual behavior in humans identified by anthropologists, I argue that the evolutionary origin of male-male sexual behavior is based on the same dominance-submission mechanisms that gave rise to male-female sexual behavior. Further, I argue that male-male sexual behavior evolved more fully in human males than in other primate males because male-male alliances played a greater role in human male reproductive success. Specifically, male-male sexual behavior is speculated to be an exaptation of the sociosexual behavior used by primates to establish, regulate, and maintain relationships. It is posited that same-sex sexual behavior in human males reinforced alliances that contributed directly to male survival and indirectly to male reproduction. This alliance theory of the evolution of male-male sexual behavior is compatible with broader current theory on human evolution. The same neurological mechanism theorized to be involved in male-female sexual attraction and behavior is purported to mediate male-male sexual attraction and behavior. Finally, I argue that exclusive same-sex attraction in human males is due to an interaction between genetic, cultural, developmental and psychological factors. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_02
{"title":"The Evolution of Male-Male Sexual Behavior in Humans","authors":"Frank Muscarella","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n04_02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n04_02","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper examines male-male sexual behavior from an evolutionary perspective. I begin with a discussion of the major difficulties associated with the scientific study of homosexuality and a clarification of some concepts in human sexuality and evolutionary psychology. Following is a presentation of several established evolutionary theories of homosexuality and a critique of their major assumptions. Based on common patterns of male-male sexual behavior in humans identified by anthropologists, I argue that the evolutionary origin of male-male sexual behavior is based on the same dominance-submission mechanisms that gave rise to male-female sexual behavior. Further, I argue that male-male sexual behavior evolved more fully in human males than in other primate males because male-male alliances played a greater role in human male reproductive success. Specifically, male-male sexual behavior is speculated to be an exaptation of the sociosexual behavior used by primates to establish, regulate, and maintain relationships. It is posited that same-sex sexual behavior in human males reinforced alliances that contributed directly to male survival and indirectly to male reproduction. This alliance theory of the evolution of male-male sexual behavior is compatible with broader current theory on human evolution. The same neurological mechanism theorized to be involved in male-female sexual attraction and behavior is purported to mediate male-male sexual attraction and behavior. Finally, I argue that exclusive same-sex attraction in human males is due to an interaction between genetic, cultural, developmental and psychological factors. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_02","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"275 - 311"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n04_02","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Contrary to initial expectations, this project did not provide agreement on how to define sexual orientation. Rather, contributors wisely chose to abandon the concept of sexual orientation for descriptions of sexual behaviors and sexual relationships. This outcome may have resulted in part from editorial demands for explicit definitions and discussion of assumptions but more likely emerged from the transhistorical approach of evolutionary psychology. I argue that abandoning the flawed concept of sexual orientation will lead sexual scientists toward a new way of thinking about human sexuality, especially nonexclusive attractions and sexualities that are not defined by sex of partner. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_04
{"title":"Epilogue","authors":"M. Kauth","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n04_04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n04_04","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Contrary to initial expectations, this project did not provide agreement on how to define sexual orientation. Rather, contributors wisely chose to abandon the concept of sexual orientation for descriptions of sexual behaviors and sexual relationships. This outcome may have resulted in part from editorial demands for explicit definitions and discussion of assumptions but more likely emerged from the transhistorical approach of evolutionary psychology. I argue that abandoning the flawed concept of sexual orientation will lead sexual scientists toward a new way of thinking about human sexuality, especially nonexclusive attractions and sexualities that are not defined by sex of partner. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_04","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"371 - 385"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n04_04","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Humans are sexual creatures. Human preoccupation with sex and sexuality makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. In particular, Evolutionary Psychology (EP) has proven to be a valuable heuristic approach for generating and testing hypotheses about human sexuality. The main theme of this volume is the evolution of human sexuality, or evolved human sexual psychologies. A second theme is the identification of implicit conceptual assumptions about sexual attraction and the operational definition of key terms in order to promote greater integrity of conceptual models.
{"title":"The Evolution of Human Sexuality","authors":"M. Kauth","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n02_01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n02_01","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Humans are sexual creatures. Human preoccupation with sex and sexuality makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. In particular, Evolutionary Psychology (EP) has proven to be a valuable heuristic approach for generating and testing hypotheses about human sexuality. The main theme of this volume is the evolution of human sexuality, or evolved human sexual psychologies. A second theme is the identification of implicit conceptual assumptions about sexual attraction and the operational definition of key terms in order to promote greater integrity of conceptual models.","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"1 - 22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n02_01","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The recent incorporation of sexual selection theories into the rubric of evolutionary psychology has produced an important framework from which to examine human mating behavior. Here we review the extant empirical and theoretical work regarding heterosexual human mating preferences and reproductive strategies. Initially, we review contemporary evolutionary psychology's adaptationism, including the incorporation of modern theories of sexual selection, adaptive genetic variation, and mate choice. Next, we examine women's and men's mating preferences, focusing on the adaptive significance of material, genetic and fertility benefits, and their relationship to environmental characteristics. Following this, we consider human mate choice in relation to non-adaptive preferences. This discussion ends with a look at context effects for individual differences in mate-preferences and reproductive strategies.
{"title":"The Evolutionary Psychology of Human Mate Choice","authors":"Jon A. Sefcek, B. Brumbach, G. Vásquez, G. Miller","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n02_05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n02_05","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The recent incorporation of sexual selection theories into the rubric of evolutionary psychology has produced an important framework from which to examine human mating behavior. Here we review the extant empirical and theoretical work regarding heterosexual human mating preferences and reproductive strategies. Initially, we review contemporary evolutionary psychology's adaptationism, including the incorporation of modern theories of sexual selection, adaptive genetic variation, and mate choice. Next, we examine women's and men's mating preferences, focusing on the adaptive significance of material, genetic and fertility benefits, and their relationship to environmental characteristics. Following this, we consider human mate choice in relation to non-adaptive preferences. This discussion ends with a look at context effects for individual differences in mate-preferences and reproductive strategies.","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"125 - 182"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n02_05","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Previous psychological and anthropological research suggests that female-female desires show greater variability and plasticity than do male-male desires. I argue that plasticity in female-female desire has its origins in the evolved independence between female proceptivity (i.e., motivation to initiate sexual activity) and female arousability (i.e., capacity to become aroused to sexual stimuli), which evolved in concert with the loss of a circumscribed and observable period of estrus in higher primates. Proceptivity is an intrinsically cyclical system, peaking during ovulationwhen estrogen levels are highest, whereas arousability is continuous and hormone-independent. Because female proceptivity peaks only a few days per month, a relatively greater proportion of women's day-to-day desires is governed by arousability. The opposite is true for males, who experience continuously high proceptivity mediated by their continuously high androgen levels. Moreover, because arousability is a responsive rather than an initiatory system, there would have been little evolutionary benefit to “orienting” this system exclusively toward other-sex partners. Therefore, arousability likely permits sexual desires for both sexes. Women will consequently have more opportunities than men to experience situationally-triggered same-sex desires, regardless of their underlying sexual orientation. The implications of this perspective for understanding different manifestations of same-sex sexuality are discussed. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_01
{"title":"The Evolution of Plasticity in Female-Female Desire","authors":"L. Diamond","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n04_01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n04_01","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Previous psychological and anthropological research suggests that female-female desires show greater variability and plasticity than do male-male desires. I argue that plasticity in female-female desire has its origins in the evolved independence between female proceptivity (i.e., motivation to initiate sexual activity) and female arousability (i.e., capacity to become aroused to sexual stimuli), which evolved in concert with the loss of a circumscribed and observable period of estrus in higher primates. Proceptivity is an intrinsically cyclical system, peaking during ovulationwhen estrogen levels are highest, whereas arousability is continuous and hormone-independent. Because female proceptivity peaks only a few days per month, a relatively greater proportion of women's day-to-day desires is governed by arousability. The opposite is true for males, who experience continuously high proceptivity mediated by their continuously high androgen levels. Moreover, because arousability is a responsive rather than an initiatory system, there would have been little evolutionary benefit to “orienting” this system exclusively toward other-sex partners. Therefore, arousability likely permits sexual desires for both sexes. Women will consequently have more opportunities than men to experience situationally-triggered same-sex desires, regardless of their underlying sexual orientation. The implications of this perspective for understanding different manifestations of same-sex sexuality are discussed. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_01","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"245 - 274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n04_01","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The psychological intersection of biological sex, personality, and sexual orientation represents a unique prospect for investigating the evolution of human mating strategies. Evolved sex differences in human psychology may encounter different mating environments within homosexual and heterosexual contexts. The personality traits of homosexuals, if different from heterosexuals, may influence human mating dynamics in revealing ways. In the current study, 5,310 men (5,083 heterosexuals, 131 homosexuals, and 96 bisexuals) and 7,589 women (7,240 heterosexuals, 143 homosexuals, and 206 bisexuals) across four major world regions completed personality and sexuality self-report surveys. Consistent with previous research, sociosexual behavior (e.g., number of one-night stands) and personality traits (e.g., masculinity and openness to experience) varied across sexual orientation. In addition, personality traits were predictably related to sociosexual behavior. However, variability in personality traits did not account for the observed differences in sociosexual behavior across sexual orientation.
{"title":"Sexual Strategies Across Sexual Orientations","authors":"D. Schmitt","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n02_06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n02_06","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The psychological intersection of biological sex, personality, and sexual orientation represents a unique prospect for investigating the evolution of human mating strategies. Evolved sex differences in human psychology may encounter different mating environments within homosexual and heterosexual contexts. The personality traits of homosexuals, if different from heterosexuals, may influence human mating dynamics in revealing ways. In the current study, 5,310 men (5,083 heterosexuals, 131 homosexuals, and 96 bisexuals) and 7,589 women (7,240 heterosexuals, 143 homosexuals, and 206 bisexuals) across four major world regions completed personality and sexuality self-report surveys. Consistent with previous research, sociosexual behavior (e.g., number of one-night stands) and personality traits (e.g., masculinity and openness to experience) varied across sexual orientation. In addition, personality traits were predictably related to sociosexual behavior. However, variability in personality traits did not account for the observed differences in sociosexual behavior across sexual orientation.","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"183 - 214"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n02_06","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract There is a series of common assumptions about prehistoric sex, associated with the prejudice that it must have been more natural because it happened closer to our evolutionary origins. The development of primate studies reveals a high degree of social variation between and within primate species, along with evidence for the practice of non-reproductive sex both recreationally and for expressing dominance relations. Yet, hypotheses about the behavior of human ancestors and early modern humans have been hampered by a lack of an integrated methodology. Although there is no single trajectory for either the elaboration or restriction of sexual behaviors after the emergence of culture, I argue here that it is possible to identify key turning points with more or less universal validity. These points include the reasons for and implications of brain size increase at the time of the emergence of genus Homo, the crystallization of impersonal gender by mid-Upper Paleolithic Ice Age societies, the early development of systems of control over both fertility and the projection and alteration of sexual identity, and the inferred emergence of homonegativity in early, reproduction-oriented farming societies. Further, archaeological data allows naturalist assumptions to be effectively refuted.
{"title":"The Origins of Human Sexual Culture","authors":"T. Taylor","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n02_03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n02_03","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract There is a series of common assumptions about prehistoric sex, associated with the prejudice that it must have been more natural because it happened closer to our evolutionary origins. The development of primate studies reveals a high degree of social variation between and within primate species, along with evidence for the practice of non-reproductive sex both recreationally and for expressing dominance relations. Yet, hypotheses about the behavior of human ancestors and early modern humans have been hampered by a lack of an integrated methodology. Although there is no single trajectory for either the elaboration or restriction of sexual behaviors after the emergence of culture, I argue here that it is possible to identify key turning points with more or less universal validity. These points include the reasons for and implications of brain size increase at the time of the emergence of genus Homo, the crystallization of impersonal gender by mid-Upper Paleolithic Ice Age societies, the early development of systems of control over both fertility and the projection and alteration of sexual identity, and the inferred emergence of homonegativity in early, reproduction-oriented farming societies. Further, archaeological data allows naturalist assumptions to be effectively refuted.","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"105 - 69"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n02_03","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66459810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Evolutionary explanations come in two basic forms. Functional explanations focus on elucidating the adaptive (i.e., reproductive) value of a particular behavior. Phylogenetic explanations focus on understanding the evolutionary history of a behavior: that is, how it originated and changed in a step-by-step manner over time. Cross-species comparisons indicate that same-sex sexuality is not an evolutionarily uniform phenomenon. Multiple analogous forms of homosexual behavior have evolved. I argue that our understanding of why same-sex sexualities evolved is contingent on the implementation of both types of evolutionary analysis. I describe research on female bonobos (Pan paniscus) to illustrate how functional investigations can help explain why some forms of primate homosexual behavior evolved, such as those that are sociosexual in nature. I then describe my research on female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to illustrate how phylogenetic investigations can help account for how other forms of homosexual behavior evolved, such as those that are strictly sexual in nature. I conclude by discussing how both functional and phylogenetic perspectives need to be fully integrated to account for these data and, by extension, the evolution of male homosexuality in humans.
{"title":"Function and Phylogeny","authors":"P. Vasey","doi":"10.1300/J056v18n02_07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/J056v18n02_07","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Evolutionary explanations come in two basic forms. Functional explanations focus on elucidating the adaptive (i.e., reproductive) value of a particular behavior. Phylogenetic explanations focus on understanding the evolutionary history of a behavior: that is, how it originated and changed in a step-by-step manner over time. Cross-species comparisons indicate that same-sex sexuality is not an evolutionarily uniform phenomenon. Multiple analogous forms of homosexual behavior have evolved. I argue that our understanding of why same-sex sexualities evolved is contingent on the implementation of both types of evolutionary analysis. I describe research on female bonobos (Pan paniscus) to illustrate how functional investigations can help explain why some forms of primate homosexual behavior evolved, such as those that are sociosexual in nature. I then describe my research on female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to illustrate how phylogenetic investigations can help account for how other forms of homosexual behavior evolved, such as those that are strictly sexual in nature. I conclude by discussing how both functional and phylogenetic perspectives need to be fully integrated to account for these data and, by extension, the evolution of male homosexuality in humans.","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"18 1","pages":"215 - 244"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/J056v18n02_07","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editor's Note","authors":"Elizabeth J. Coleman","doi":"10.1300/j056v18n04_a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1300/j056v18n04_a","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":85015,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychology & human sexuality","volume":"58 1","pages":"xix - xvii"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1300/j056v18n04_a","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66460672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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