Women’s STM – Context effects
¨

Predictors of STM in women:
¤ Father

absence
¤ Stepfather presence
¤ Life changes (e.g., divorce)
¤ Sex ratio—surplus of women
¤ Mate value
n Low

self-esteem

 Physical Attractiveness

 

Physical Attractiveness
-

 

 

Components of
Female Attractiveness

 

 

Physical Attractiveness

 

 

Health

     

Clear skin

Long shiny hair 
Clean healthy teeth

Men’s mate preferences
¨

Symons, 1979

Cross-cultural evidence suggests that young (but postpubertal) women are judged to be more attractive
than older women

 Men: Roughly, Prefer the youngest women
they can plausibly attract as mates

Kenrick & Keefe, 1992

 Physical Attractiveness
¨

Fertility
¤ Waist-hip

ratio (WHR)

n Correlated

with estrogen levels
n Predictor of health outcomes
n Cue that woman is not currently pregnant

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