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Sexual Strategies Theory: Built for the Short Term or the Long Term?

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Abstract

The evolutionary paradigm has provided psychology with a different perspective on human behavior, and with beneficial results. Sexual Strategies Theory (SST; Buss and Schmitt 1993) has been the primary evolutionary theory for studying human sexual behavior. A review of some SST-related research suggests that some of the paradigm’s anticipated female-male differences are supported. However, closer examination of this research also reveals substantial female-male similarities in sexual behavior, inconsistent or unclear definitions of several important SST concepts, and the functional omission of several important topics from the SST research agenda. Further, male-female differences in sexuality may be driven by a subset of males. Directions for future research are suggested, including greater attention to individual and contextual factors.

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Acknowledgement

The author wishes to thank Christopher Kilmartin and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions, as well as the guest editors for their invitation to contribute to this special issue.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Andrew P. Smiler

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Smiler, A.P. Sexual Strategies Theory: Built for the Short Term or the Long Term?. Sex Roles 64, 603–612 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9817-z

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