The Evolution of Desire

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In this provocative book, David Buss turns to Darwin's theories from the mid-19th century to explain why humans today choose the mates they do. It might be a hard pill to swallow — the idea that mating preferences aren't entirely conscious choices, but Buss backs it up by extensive research, including a study of more than 100,000 people from 37 cultures across the globe. He also looks at what mating among animals, and also online dating sites, can tell us about the sometimes fraught, sometimes enchanting, choices we all make.

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I. Introduction

It’s a question as old as time: what does the opposite sex want in a partner? In The Evolution of Desire, evolutionary psychologist David M. Buss explores this age-old question and goes on to pose an additional but related query:

Why do they want it?

Buss uncovers answers that involve the once controversial, but now widely accepted theory that evolution plays a role in contemporary desire. Over time, Buss argues, humans have so completely fine-tuned their search for sexual partners that people now innately and subconsciously seek mates whose qualities suggest they’ll be successful at reproduction.

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II. Humans and Sexual Selection

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III. Women’s Mating Preferences = Reproductive Investment

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IV. Men’s Mating Preferences = A Desire for Healthy Offspring

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V. LGBT Mate Preferences and Sexual Selection

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VI. Short-term Mating Offers a Different Type of Success

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VII. Successful Strategies Build You Up and Tear Others Down

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