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A look at sexual attraction and how it is related to evolution.

Successful copulation and reproduction has been propagated by the human species for millions
of years. This process has been studied and researched for centuries to determine the
physiological and psychological motivations behind procreation and sexual attraction. Darwin
and his theory of evolution, the survival of the species, and natural selection, viewed the process
of mating and reproduction as purely driven by biological forces. For human beings to survive
and ensure their genes lived on,       
 
 , all based on biology and
gene fitness. Even the human orgasm is biologically driven regarding mating and the various
sexual practices between men and women. This also controls much of what men and women find
attractive in a mate and may sometimes override psychological and social desires. Therefore,
although the modern human brain has the ability to make rational decisions when choosing a
mate,   
   
     


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Charles Darwin¶s theory of evolution has been a topic of controversy since it was promulgated in
the late 1800s. Nonetheless, its tenets remain strong, with many modern day scientists making
discoveries that support Darwin¶s theories of evolution, natural selection, and survival of the
fittest. In The Origin of Species, Darwin calls the process of natural selection or survival of the
fittest, the preservation of favorable individual differences and variations, and the destruction of
those, which are injurious. Darwin¶s theory of evolutionary change and process of natural
selection surmises that variations exist in every population of species. Organisms compete for the
limited resources available to them, and may produce more offspring that can naturally survive,
therefore, only a few organisms are successful in leaving progeny. Each organism passes on
genetic traits and characteristics to their offspring, and the organisms that inherit the most
beneficial traits are more likely to survive and reproduce. Homologous traits are those found in
different species that are structurally and functionally similar in nature and that arose through
genetic ancestry. Those animals that have the greatest number of homologous traits are more
closely related than those with fewer homologues. Alternatively, analogous traits are structurally
and functionally similar to one another, but did not come about through genetics, and have arisen
independently on more than one occasion

Behavioral traits evolve during various adaptations through mating, hunting, means of
cooperation, and methods of escaping predators. 
   


 
       
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  An
example of this behavioral evolutionary process is the ³fight or flight´ response that humans
have been genetically disposed to in order for early man to be able to escape dangerous
predators. This stress response filled the human body with strength, stamina, and speed to escape
a hazardous situation, and those who fought and won, or fled and lived, were the fittest and
survived. In Western civilization today, this response is no longer needed for survival, however,
the body still responds to stressors with this ³fight or flight´ response. Therefore, the behavior
this response is meant to coincide with has evolved into one in which modern day stress is the
³predator´, rather than a wild animal or a competing tribe.

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Finding the right partner in primitive society made the difference between the life and death of
an offspring. Darwin theorized that sexual admiration could interfere tremendously with the
struggle for survival. However, he also postulated that females choose their male partners
carefully; evaluating which males will provide the best genes to contribute to successful
reproduction and healthy offspring.

Because reproduction is the key to survival of the human species, men appear to have developed
a short-term sexual strategy, as men who pursue multiple partners are more likely to out-
reproduce men with one partner. Therefore, men¶s mating strategies includes a desire for sexual
variety making the chances higher that if reproduction is not successful with one female, it will
be with another. According to the journal article Sex Differences in Sexual Psychology Produce
Sex-Similar Preferences for a Short-Term Mate:

Men desire nearly five times as many sexual partners than do women over a lifetime. Men¶s
sexual fantasies also reveal a psychology attuned to sexual variety. Men¶s sexual fantasies more
than women¶s sexual fantasies include multiple and unfamiliar partners.

This modern day psychology of the human male is no doubt an offshoot from his male ancestors
who were physiologically prompted to over-reproduce to insure survival of the species.

Women, on the other hand, do not appear to have such a physiological need to procreate with
multiple males, as women do not compete with other females in terms of reproduction during
sexual encounters. Therefore, short-term sexual partners for women may function only to
evaluate possible long-term mates, and serve more of a social function whether than a sexual or
reproductive one.

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Both male and female humans have orgasms, however, many theorists have pondered as to what
physiological role the female orgasm has, if any, in the sexual act and reproduction. Further,
until about 25 years ago, when female scientists became active in anthropology and evolutionary
psychology, female sexuality in the scope of human evolution was a neglected topic.

The male orgasm results in ejaculation of sperm for reproduction purposes; however, there has
been no clear explanation for the biological or evolutionary function of the female orgasm.
Female orgasm is not necessary for reproduction and does not happen every time the female
copulates, therefore, several hypotheses have been offered to explain this irregularity. Sperm
competition is one hypothesis, and predicts that when sperm of different males compete to
fertilize the eggs of one female, sperm competition occurs. Baker and Bellis conducted a study in
which they found that 30% of women sampled in a British study claimed to have been
inseminated within a 24-hour period by two different men. There is also evidence that ovulating
women seek out extra pair copulation more than those women who are non-ovulating. Therefore,
the female orgasm may be an adaptation to promote conception from males of high genetic
quality. Yet, another study has indicated that female orgasms may actually promote fertilization
during copulation. Levels of oxytocin, a naturally occurring hormone in humans, increase
following an orgasm. In the journal article, The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science
of Evolutions, Puts demonstrated that:treatment with this hormone caused uterine contractions
lowered uterine pressure andrapid movement of a semen-like substance into the uterus«female
orgasms within 1min[ute] before and 45 min[ute] after ejaculation were associated with higher
sperm retention than was no orgasm or orgasms at other times

Therefore, this lends credence to the idea that the female orgasm is a physiological response
designed to increase the likelihood of conception. However, the psychological component of the
female orgasm is still not fully understood and may be related to the attraction and desire she has
for her male partner, just as the male human¶s appears to be for her.

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In order for males and females to engage in healthy sexual behavior, an attraction must exist
between the two. However, levels of attractiveness, and what both men and women consider
attractive appear to be a function of both evolution and psychology.

A round buttock is another sexual ³turn-on´ as ³Humans have evolved from animals that walked
on all fours, when the bottom was a big turn-on to males, who would mate from behind´ as
reported by Morris in his book, The Naked Woman: A Study of the Female Body. Further, such
curves in women have also evolved as attractive because women needed a layer of fat to keep
themselves and their babies alive during times of famine, and this fat was spread across the body
evenly creating rounded curves. Additionally, a woman¶s higher voice, doe-like eyes, and lack of
body hair are traits they share with children. Men have evolved to protect their children from
harm; therefore, these ³childlike´ features make women more attractive to men. Psychological
adaptations have evolved as well, leading to physical attraction. For instance, men who spend
more time away from their partners show a greater interest in copulating with their partners and
find their partners to be more physically attractive.

Women have certain traits in men that they find physically appealing. Women find larger than
average eyes attractive, a large smile and prominent cheekbones, which appears to be related to
androgen levels indicating lack of illness. It is interesting to note that studies have indicated that
less-attractive females seek less-masculine males who have slightly feminized faces for
relationships. This may be more of a psychological function than that of physiology, indicating
that if a female or male perceive themselves as less attractive, they may be drawn to someone of
the opposite sex who tends to mirror a lower self-image.

From the fore going it is evident that evolution theory supports sexual attraction

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