ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the evolutionary explanations for partner preferences, including the relationship between sexual selection and human reproductive behaviour. In order to understand how sexual selection affects males and females differently, it is necessary to consider the concept of sexual dimorphism, which relates to the different characteristics possessed by males and females and how these characteristics increase their chances of survival and procreation. Sexual selection is regarded as a natural process and as such it is influenced by the inheritance of genetic structures that cause to people behave in certain ways. The concept of sexual selection is therefore one that attempts to reduce human behaviour to biological structures and could be regarded as biologically reductionist. Intersexual selection will be favoured by women and intrasexual selection by men. However, it is possible that intrasexual selection may also be useful to women in certain circumstances, although it is a risky strategy and can have the opposite effect of driving potential mates away.
