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There's no contest: Human sex differences are sexually selected

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2009

Nicholas Pound
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, United Kingdom. [email protected]
Martin Daly
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour (PNB), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada. [email protected]@mcmaster.ca
Margo Wilson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour (PNB), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada. [email protected]@mcmaster.ca

Abstract

An evolutionary psychological perspective drawing on sexual selection theory can better explain sex differences in aggression and violence than can social constructionist theories. Moreover, there is accumulating evidence that, in accordance with predictions derived from sexual selection theory, men modulate their willingness to engage in risky and violent confrontations in response to cues to fitness variance and future prospects.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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