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Dual-Mating Hypothesis

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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

Definition

The dual-mating hypothesis is an important guiding perspective in evolutionary psychology that posits how women may have evolved to develop two overlapping strategies when choosing mates: (A) a short-term strategy that prioritizes men who are high in physical attractiveness and therefore possess “good genes” and (B) a long-term strategy that prioritizes men who are more likely to invest resources in potential offspring (Gangestad and Thornhill 1998; Pillsworth et al. 2004).

Introduction

These strategies are often at odds with each other, as the potential mate who possesses the highest-quality genes is often not the same potential mate who is most likely to invest resources in potential offspring. From the dual-mating hypothesis, researchers have highlighted how women who are faced with this trade-off manage their strategies accordingly, i.e., when they are likely to prioritize genetic fitness versus resource provision from their partners.

Short-Term or Long-Term Strategies?

A...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Linfield College, McMinnville, OR, USA

    Yanna Weisberg

  2. Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    John Kim

Authors
  1. Yanna Weisberg
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  2. John Kim
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Correspondence to Yanna Weisberg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

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

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

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

    Tara DeLecce

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Weisberg, Y., Kim, J. (2018). Dual-Mating Hypothesis. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_238-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_238-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

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