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Miller suggested strong positive-feedback processes in sexual selection to have given rise to higher human cognition, which he regards as too advanced for the necessities of human survival. Much of male courtship may consists in eliciting super stimuli in women by cognitive performance such as poetry, dancing, art and humor.<ref>https://ontherapyaspse.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/geoffrey-miller-the-mating-mind.pdf</ref> | Miller suggested strong positive-feedback processes in sexual selection to have given rise to higher human cognition, which he regards as too advanced for the necessities of human survival. Much of male courtship may consists in eliciting super stimuli in women by cognitive performance such as poetry, dancing, art and humor.<ref>https://ontherapyaspse.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/geoffrey-miller-the-mating-mind.pdf</ref> | ||
== | == Examples == | ||
===Animals=== | |||
<gallery mode="packed" widths="400" heights="200"> | <gallery mode="packed" widths="400" heights="200"> | ||
File:1920px-Male Peafowl (Peacock) at China National GeneBank, Shenzhen.jpg|A male Peafowl with completely useless plumage | File:1920px-Male Peafowl (Peacock) at China National GeneBank, Shenzhen.jpg|A male Peafowl with completely useless plumage | ||
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Certain species have been theorized to go extinct partly due to runaway female sexual selection. The Irish elk’s extinction was at least in part, due to runaway sexual selection. Female Irish elk selected male elk with larger bodies as well as increasingly larger antlers. Some recovered antlers measure nine feet across and weigh over 90 pounds. The extreme nutritious cost to grow such huge antlers, coupled with the burden of such a heavy load, were more than the males could handle, particularly as their food source density decreased during environmental changes.<ref>The evolution of sexual strategy in modern humans: an interdisciplinary approach by Collins, Kendra Marie, https://studyres.com/doc/2550939/--california-state-university</ref> In this case, natural selection would have favored males with smaller bodies and antlers needing fewer nutritional resources, however the sexual selection pressures were so strong, and had become so fixed in a positive feedback loop, that it ultimately cost the loss of the entire species.<ref>Moen et al., 1999</ref> | Certain species have been theorized to go extinct partly due to runaway female sexual selection. The Irish elk’s extinction was at least in part, due to runaway sexual selection. Female Irish elk selected male elk with larger bodies as well as increasingly larger antlers. Some recovered antlers measure nine feet across and weigh over 90 pounds. The extreme nutritious cost to grow such huge antlers, coupled with the burden of such a heavy load, were more than the males could handle, particularly as their food source density decreased during environmental changes.<ref>The evolution of sexual strategy in modern humans: an interdisciplinary approach by Collins, Kendra Marie, https://studyres.com/doc/2550939/--california-state-university</ref> In this case, natural selection would have favored males with smaller bodies and antlers needing fewer nutritional resources, however the sexual selection pressures were so strong, and had become so fixed in a positive feedback loop, that it ultimately cost the loss of the entire species.<ref>Moen et al., 1999</ref> | ||
==Humans== | ===Humans=== | ||
Even though human females are more choosy in accordance to [[Bateman's principle]], both sexes are ornamented. Women have [[Boobs|permanently swollen breasts]],<ref>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.02.005</ref> an hour glass shaped body etc., men have a V-shaped upper body, more toned muscles, beards, very large penises compared to other great apes, and [[:Category:Aesthetics|various other features]].<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513810000279</ref> Both sexes have clearly defined [[Hairline|hairlines]] and very clear skin. None of these features have survival value besides being good looking, so they're likely sexually selected, likely mostly by aesthetic selection common to many higher animals,<ref>https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct06/pretty</ref> and possibly by feedback loops like Fisherian runaway and sensory bias,<ref>Fuller, R. C., Houle, D., & Travis, J. 2005. ''Sensory Bias as an Explanation for the Evolution of Mate Preferences.'' [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/444443 Abstract]]</ref> leading to exaggeration and strengthened sexual dimorphism.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513810000279</ref> Though dominant and masculine features like large beards and a deep, intimidating voice may also serve the intimidation of other males.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513810000279</ref><ref>http://larspenke.eu/pdfs/Kordsmeyer_et_al_2018_-_Intra-_vs_intersexual_selection_on_human_males.pdf</ref> | Even though human females are more choosy in accordance to [[Bateman's principle]], both sexes are ornamented. Women have [[Boobs|permanently swollen breasts]],<ref>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.02.005</ref> an hour glass shaped body etc., men have a V-shaped upper body, more toned muscles, beards, very large penises compared to other great apes, and [[:Category:Aesthetics|various other features]].<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513810000279</ref> Both sexes have clearly defined [[Hairline|hairlines]] and very clear skin. None of these features have survival value besides being good looking, so they're likely sexually selected, likely mostly by aesthetic selection common to many higher animals,<ref>https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct06/pretty</ref> and possibly by feedback loops like Fisherian runaway and sensory bias,<ref>Fuller, R. C., Houle, D., & Travis, J. 2005. ''Sensory Bias as an Explanation for the Evolution of Mate Preferences.'' [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/444443 Abstract]]</ref> leading to exaggeration and strengthened sexual dimorphism.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513810000279</ref> Though dominant and masculine features like large beards and a deep, intimidating voice may also serve the intimidation of other males.<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513810000279</ref><ref>http://larspenke.eu/pdfs/Kordsmeyer_et_al_2018_-_Intra-_vs_intersexual_selection_on_human_males.pdf</ref> | ||
The fact that men have only reproduced half as often as women<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#Before_.27enforced_monogamy.27.2C_women.27s_effective_population_size_was_up_to_17x_larger_than_men.27s</ref> suggests the most dominant men were primarily involved in selecting women's ornament. | The fact that men have only reproduced half as often as women<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#Before_.27enforced_monogamy.27.2C_women.27s_effective_population_size_was_up_to_17x_larger_than_men.27s</ref> suggests the most dominant men were primarily involved in selecting women's ornament. | ||
==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
===Good | ===Good genes hypothesis=== | ||
Good genes hypothesis or ''Zahavi's handicap principle'' claims exaggerated ornament is a costly and hence a reliable signal of other desirable traits. For example, a peacock with a very large tail would be easy prey (which is costly), and thus would most likely have other good traits that make up for this handicap (good genes). There is, however, little supporting scientific evidence. In humans in particular, beauty and ornament is not strongly correlated with health at all (only weakly), and even less with cognitive ability.<ref>https://incels.wiki/w/Scientific_Blackpill#Attractive_people_are_perceived_much_more_positively_than_they_really_are</ref> | |||
===Environmental factors and extinction=== | ===Environmental factors and extinction=== | ||
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=== Is female mate choice maladaptive? === | === Is female mate choice maladaptive? === | ||
Various members of the [[ | Various members of the [[Manosphere]] claimed that the increasingly dimorphic beauty standards that men are expected to adhere to in a harsher modern dating environment may be the beginning of a Fisherian runaway or intensification of existing ones. They say women are increasingly choosing the men with the most sexually dimorphic traits: cartoonishly large muscles and frame, with no selective attention paid to traits like loyalty, intelligence, etc. | ||
This also results in an even higher competitive environment among men without physically sexually dimorphic traits, | This also results in an even higher competitive environment among men without physically sexually dimorphic traits. Due to behavioral traits also being sexually selected, they claim men will also become more psychopathic and disagreeable to win female attention, exaggerating character traits which many see as [[maladaptive]], at least in the context of modern civilization. There is indeed some evidence that [[dark triad]] traits are currently being sexually selected by (at least Western) women,<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273809664_The_Dark_Triad_personality_Attractiveness_to_women</ref><ref>https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40806-019-00213-0</ref> and that criminal and anti-social men often have more sexual partners and [[reproductive success]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120513221622/http://abacon.com/ellis/tables/ch8.pdf</ref><ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12625439</ref><ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513814000774</ref> Some view this data as evidence of the beginning of a process of fisherian runaway selection. Research on sexual selection theory by Puts (2010) suggested women's preference for highly dominant men may have partly been a result of sexual selection.<ref>https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07418825.2016.1216153?journalCode=rjqy20</ref><ref>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2010.02.005</ref> | ||
Men's rights activist [[Warren Farrell]] warned of such a thing in 1993, in his book, [[The Myth of Male Power]], warning women that their preference for and [[Cheerleaders|encouragement]] of, "hunter-killer", "star quarterback", type men could cause the extinction of the human race with the arrival of nuclear technology. He also claimed that since civilization and the industrial revolution [[dark triad]] traits have become maladaptive, as the traits which foster a healthy society have switched from might-makes-right individual brutality, to [[Nice guy|cooperation, intelligence, empathy]] etc. | Men's rights activist [[Warren Farrell]] warned of such a thing in 1993, in his book, [[The Myth of Male Power]], warning women that their preference for and [[Cheerleaders|encouragement]] of, "hunter-killer", "star quarterback", type men could cause the extinction of the human race with the arrival of nuclear technology. He also claimed that since civilization and the industrial revolution [[dark triad]] traits have become maladaptive, as the traits which foster a healthy society have switched from might-makes-right individual brutality, to [[Nice guy|cooperation, intelligence, empathy]] etc. | ||