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Fisherian runaway is a popular meme in the [[manosphere]] used to argue women's mate choices may be [[maladaptiveness|maladaptive]], resulting in excessive emphasis on superficial [[courtship]] and selecting exaggerated [[asshole|anti-social]] traits that incite male competition. Fisherian runaway is often misunderstood to refer to exaggeration as a lifestyle choice, but it actually refers to an ''evolutionary'' process over many generations. However, sexual preferences evolved this way can motivate extreme body modifications like breast/penis enlargement, hormone supplements, bodybuilding and plastic surgery. | Fisherian runaway is a popular meme in the [[manosphere]] used to argue women's mate choices may be [[maladaptiveness|maladaptive]], resulting in excessive emphasis on superficial [[courtship]] and selecting exaggerated [[asshole|anti-social]] traits that incite male competition. Fisherian runaway is often misunderstood to refer to exaggeration as a lifestyle choice, but it actually refers to an ''evolutionary'' process over many generations. However, sexual preferences evolved this way can motivate extreme body modifications like breast/penis enlargement, hormone supplements, bodybuilding and plastic surgery. | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
[[File:Peacock courting peahen.jpg|alt=|thumb|"The females may be dull looking, but they're very picky." A peacock courting a peahen]] | [[File:Peacock courting peahen.jpg|alt=|thumb|"The females may be dull looking, but they're very picky." A peacock [[courting]] a peahen]] | ||
=== Positive feedback === | === Positive feedback === | ||
Fisherian runaway is a selection process occurring over many generations, in which the one sex (either male or female) becomes more choosy about a heritable trait for the sole reason that it will make the offspring more attractive. As the choosiness for the trait increases, the selective pressure to prefer the trait increases too, forming a | {{See also|[[Sexual selection]]}} | ||
Fisherian runaway is a selection process occurring over many generations, in which the one sex (either male or female) becomes more choosy about a heritable trait for the sole reason that it will make the offspring more attractive. As the choosiness for the trait increases, the selective pressure to prefer the trait increases too, forming a {{Wikipedia|positive feedback loop}}. In response to the increased choosiness, the other sex evolves to enlarge, overcomplicate or beautify that trait in efforts of becoming more attractive, eliciting {{Wikipedia|supernormal stimuli}} in the opposite sex. The exponential nature of positive feedback loops exerts a strong selection pressure that the resulting exaggerated ornament may reduce mobility and increase vulnerability to predators and to sudden environmental changes. The result is strong selection for a trait and sexual attraction to it ''only'' because it is attractive to others ({{Wikipedia|Art for art's sake}}), not because of any other survival value, i.e. the trait bears no advantage regarding strength, health, ability, morality or overall "[[#Good_genes|good genes]]". | |||
Since females are [[Bateman's principle|more choosy]] in many species throughout the animal kingdom (including humans), the males tend to be more ornamented. | Since females are [[Bateman's principle|more choosy]] in many species throughout the animal kingdom (including humans), the males tend to be more ornamented. | ||
=== Initiation === | === Initiation === | ||