Paper Topic:

Mate Selection

Running Head : MATE SELECTION

Mate Selection

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Mate Selection

It is not uncommon for individuals to bargain with themselves in an effort to create motivation where exists : If I get the lawn mowed before noon , I 'll spend the rest of the day watching football if I lose five pounds , I 'll buy that new dress . Sometimes , when individuals bargain , it isn 't as much for motivation as it is for justification : If my boss won 't give me that raise , I 'll stop working those extra

hours I had every right to flip that guy off because he cut right in front of me . These are instances in which the bargaining is self-motivated self-serving , and self-indulgent , and while effective and perhaps necessary , the stakes in most of these circumstances isn 't necessarily high . After all , who 's going to know or care if a yard goes unmowed , a dress is prematurely purchased , an extra hour isn 't spent at one 's desk or a flip-off wasn 't honestly deserved ? However , when it comes to choosing a mate in a relationship , the role played by bargaining carries a much higher stake , and the consequences of poor judgment while bargaining and /or poor bargaining tactics can be devastating

The degree to which bargaining occurs during the mate selection process varies from person to person as do the focal point (s ) of the bargain however , there are a number of areas that are particularly intriguing

The Necessities and Luxuries of Mate Preferences : Testing the Tradeoffs (2002

focuses on the degree to which women and men first ensure sufficient levels of necessities in

potential mates before considering many other characteristics (Li Bailey , Kenrick

Linsenmeier . Factors such as a potential mate 's attractiveness and social status are essential

according to Li , et al (2002 however , because their research placed greater emphasis on

realistic economic potential as opposed to that of previous research (which allowed for

speculation regarding how to spend imaginary lottery winnings , a pattern that had not

previously emerged became clear : the sexes do not always agree on what constitutes a

necessity ' versus what constitutes a luxury (Li , et al , 2002 . American social construct is partially responsible for this difference Men are far more likely to have access to status , power , and resources therefore , these are deemed necessary ' traits by women who seek a mate . On the other hand , men view women as the means by which offspring can be produced , and based on this , they see physical attractiveness and age as necessary ' factors in mate selection (Li et al , 2002 . Obviously , this requires a great degree of bargaining as the two subjects are (at least initially ) focused on absolutely different traits while evaluating a potential mate

Where Li , et al . conclude that much of the bargaining that occurs in mate selection is based on the differences between what men and women consider necessary ' Gender Socialization : How Bargaining Power Shapes Social Norms and Political Attitudes (2005 ) examines the social...

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