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The Functional Design and Phylogeny of Women’s Sexuality

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The Evolution of Sexuality

Part of the book series: Evolutionary Psychology ((EVOLPSYCH))

Abstract

Over the past 15 years, extensive research has documented that estrus in women is present, not absent due to evolutionary loss, as scholars concluded erroneously by the middle of the last century. Estrus in women is a set of sexual preferences, manifested in the fertile window of the menstrual cycle, for mates with traits that connote male phenotypic and genetic quality. We hypothesize that women’s estrus is an adaptation that functions to obtain genes, including conditionally via extra-pair copulation, that enhance offspring reproductive value. Women’s estrus is ancient phylogenetically, and has homology and functional similarity with estrus throughout vertebrates. Women’s sexuality at infertile cycle points and other infertile times is referred to as “extended sexuality.” It is common in Old World primates and probably in pair-bonding, socially monogamous birds. The kinds of preferences associated with women’s extended sexuality are consistent with the hypothesis that its function is to obtain nongenetic material benefits and services from males by exchanging sexual access for them. Concealed estrus is present in women as evidenced by men’s limited ability (compared to other male mammals) to detect estrus, women’s limited behavioral changes (compared to other female mammals) during estrus, and estrous women’s efforts to limit male mate guarding. Evidence supports the hypothesis that concealed estrus is adaptation that functions in extra-pair-bond copulation to cuckold the main partner in service of better genes for offspring, while maintaining the main partner’s material benefits. Research findings indicate that women’s estrogen-based sexual ornaments honestly signal residual reproductive value.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, The University of New Mexico, 87131-0001, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Randy Thornhill

  2. Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, 87131-0001, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Steven W. Gangestad

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  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Ranald D. Hansen

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Thornhill, R., Gangestad, S. (2015). The Functional Design and Phylogeny of Women’s Sexuality. In: Shackelford, T., Hansen, R. (eds) The Evolution of Sexuality. Evolutionary Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09384-0_8

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