Definition
Humor as sexually selected trait
Introduction
Sense of humor is a sexually attractive trait that is ranked as one of the most desired attributes in a prospective mate. However, men and women are interested in somewhat different qualities of humor when choosing a mate. Women place greater importance on choosing a mate that makes them laugh, while men are more interested in a woman who will laugh at their humor. Sexual selection theory can explain these disparate preferences, and there is abundant evidence to support the view that men and women evolved different psychological adaptations to appreciate and create humor.
Humor as a Sexually Selected Trait
Researchers generally agree that sense of humor is an adaptive trait, though there is no consensus on the nature of the adaptation or the mechanism that explains the evolution of humor (Greengross 2014). One evolutionary explanation that has generated...
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References
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Greengross, G. (2018). Humor as a Signal of Sexual Interest. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3248-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3248-1
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