Sexual Selection Shaped Human Traits

Introduction

Sexual selection studies have always centered on humans. Most scholars considered sexual selection as the foundational basis of comprehending the evolution of mankind. Sexual selection affected trait variation such as skin tone and hair texture and also molded numerous various female and man sexual features. Sexual selection does not help with survival but with the reproduction aspect.

Fisherman Runaway Concept

 According to the fisherman runaway theory by Ronald Fisher, after a female selects a male with the strongest physical qualities, the male offspring are more likely to express these traits in the subsequent generations. The concept analyzed male's physical sexual traits of specified species (Puts, D.2016). For example, a protruding plumage, detailed courtship actions, or risky physical adornment are preferable among certain female species. Thus, females will choose male species who express preferable sexual traits. In the following generations, the masculine offspring will express the preferred physical traits. With time, as male offsprings express the preferable physical traits, sexual dimorphism occurs due to the extreme nature of these traits. For example, the widowbird male is known for its long tail because their female counterparts only mate with males with the longest tails.

Upper Body Strength

Hunting is one of the distinguishing traits of ancient humans. Numerous concepts have highlighted the role hunting had in hominization. Hunting enabled human beings to acquire the ability to survive and reproduce. The main characteristics that enable one to survive are hunting traits that are also selected through generations. One of the first traits required for survival is upper body strength, running, sharp hearing, and the ability to isolate a prey and then kill it. Out of these traits, upper-body strength is the most important trait that links human traits to sexual selection (Apicella, & lee 2014). Humans needed upper body strength to hunt and kill their prey. Women value the ability of a man to hunt hence men who are good at hunting hence good hunters had higher chances of reproducing more offspring than the ones who did not know how to hunt. Even though the hunter passed on his energetic gains to his offspring, it proved that the man could provide for the family hence higher chances of survival and reproducing. Running speed and sharp visual are some of the characteristics that modify the upper body strength. Thus, there is a relationship between upper-strength and sexual selection any man who did not have stronger upper strength

Sexual Dimorphism

 David Putz carried out research that proved the hormonal role in sexual selection and variance. For every heterosexual reproduction and intercourse, sexual activity has to prove that females have a certain sexual trait preference (Puts, 2016). Female copulations are among a certain male population that is no easily detected while male copulations are evenly distributed among women. Also, females sexually mature faster hence sexual activities are concentrated at a certain time interval. Also, teenage females are sexually appealing than males of the same age. Thus, younger females engage in sex with older more preferable males.

 Mating mind hypothesis

This concept extends Darwin's suggestion on sexual selection. Sexual selection is vital because it accelerated humanoid psychological evolution especially among expressive human traits such as morality, linguistics, and innovation (Miller, 1993). The survival nature of humans has made mating more elusive due to the adaptive nature of both sexes.

 Conclusion

 Human traits are tied to sexual selection. The most preferable physical traits are passed on from one offspring to the next. Females can select one feature that seems to suit their survival and then use it to reproduce and sustain the existence. In humans, upper-body strength defines sexual selection. Men who knew how to hunt were able to have a higher chance of reproducing and passing on the genes onto their offspring.

 

 

Reference

Apicella, c., & lee. (2014). Upper-body strength predicts hunting reputation and reproductive success in Hadza hunter–gatherers. Retrieved 14 January 2021, from.

Miller, g. (1993). (PDF) The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature. ResearchGate. Retrieved 14 January 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235362665_The_Mating_Mind_How_Sexual_Choice_Shaped_the_Evolution_of_Human_Nature.

Puts, D. (2016). Human sexual selection. Current Opinion in Psychology, 7, 28-32.