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Cited by 354Evolutionary Psychology and Human BehaviorAnimal Behavior and ReproductionMarriage and Sexual Relationships

Sexual strategies theory: historical origins and current status

Buss, David M.·1998·The Journal of Sex Research
DOI 10.1080/00224499809551914
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Abstract

In sexually reproducing organisms, no domain is more closely linked with the engine of the evolutionary process than sexuality. Men and women over human evolutionary history have confronted different adaptive problems in the sexual domain. Sexual Strategies Theory offers an account of these adaptive problems and presents a view of human sexual psychology as a rich repertoire of mechanisms that have evolved as adaptive solutions. A host of specific predictions about human sexuality follows from this analysis, including an account of sex differences in the desire for sexual variety, the qualities preferred in short‐term and long‐term mates, context‐dependent shifts in mate preferences, the nature of sexual jealousy, the tactics that are effective for attracting and retaining a mate, and the causes of sexual conflict between men and women. After reviewing the theory's historical origins, I summarize a portion of the extensive empirical research designed to test its tenets. An evaluation of the theory notes its strengths as well as its weaknesses, with a special focus on the issues of prediction and falsification. It ends with a challenge for other theories of human sexuality to reach an equivalent level of specific predictions, a comparable empirical foundation, an equally parsimonious account of sex differences, a compelling ultimate account of causal origins, and a comparable level of multi‐level conceptual integration.

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Crossref · 10.1080/00224499809551914

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  • Darwinian theory yields testable predictions about mating strategies and behaviors, which include jealousy, fidelity, pursuit, diffidence, partner frequency, and gender roles and behaviors customarily displayed in emerging adulthood.

    “Darwinian theory yields testable predictions about mating strategies and behaviors, which include jealousy, fidelity, pursuit, diffidence, the number of new sexual partners per year (partner frequency), and gender roles and behaviors customarily displayed in emerging adulthood (88).”

    From Emerging Adulthood, a Pre-adult Life-History Stage (2020) · cites this paper as [88]

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Authors
Buss, D. M.
Affiliations
University of Texas
Corresponding author
Buss, David M.
ORCID
Buss, David M.
Venue
The Journal of Sex Research
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
1998-01
Volume
35
Issue
1
Pages
19-31
ISSN
  • 0022-4499 (ISSN-L)
  • 1559-8519
DOI
10.1080/00224499809551914
OpenAlex
W2164235724
Cited by
354
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 61 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 16
FWCI
12.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
The Journal of Sex Research (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
Keywords
sexual strategies theory, human sexuality, sex differences, mate preferences, sexual jealousy, sexual conflict, mate retention, mate attraction, evolutionary psychology, falsifiability, prediction

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