Subjects

The class will be taught exclusively in the English language.
There are no prerequisites to this course, but registering students are strongly recommended to have experience with at least an introductory class in psychology.

Last update: Csajbók Zsófia, M.A., Ph.D. (05.09.2024)

This course will introduce basic principles and terms and will cover most relevant topics of the evolutionary, social, and developmental psychology of mating strategies and preferences. Students shall learn about the basic mating-related psychological phenomena, and develop an understanding of what an evolutionary approach can bring to our knowledge of human behavior and mental processes in this domain. The semester will start with a short, basic overview of evolutionary psychology and the parental investment theory by Trivers (1972), on which many evolutionary accounts of mating strategies and sex differences in mating are built. Mating strategies, different relationship types, and meeting a future partner will be discussed afterwards. Then the focus will be shifted to human and primate mental and behavioral processes such as mating preferences and mate preference integration models, which, besides the often-studied between-sex differences, are an emerging and ever more important field in the study of human mating. Students will also get an introduction to the most relevant and up-to-date methods of this domain, including the possible gamification of research. After that, students will learn the developmental correlates of romantic relationships, such as the influence of attachment, trauma, and life history strategy on relationships. Eventually, the course will touch on intimate partner violence and jealousy.

Last update: Csajbók Zsófia, M.A., Ph.D. (05.09.2024)

Course moodle: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=5629

Compulsory readings:

Buss, D. M. (1989). Sex differences in human mate preferences: Evolutionary hypotheses tested in 37 cultures. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 12, 1-14.

Buss, D. M., & Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual strategies theory: an evolutionary perspective on human mating. Psychological Review, 100, 204.

Buss, D. M., Larsen, R. J., Westen, D., & Semmelroth, J. (1992). Sex differences in jealousy: Evolution, physiology, and psychology. Psychological Science, 3, 251-256.

Chisholm, J. S. (1993). Death, hope and sex: Life-history theory and the development of reproductive strategies, Current Anthropology, 34, 1-24.

Conroy-Beam, D., & Buss, D. M. (2016). How are mate preferences linked with actual mate selection? Tests of mate preference integration algorithms using computer simulations and actual mating couples. PloS one, 11, e0156078.

Del Giudice, M., Ellis, B. J., & Shirtcliff, E. A. (2011). The adaptive calibration model of stress responsivity. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 35, 1562-1592.

Fink, B., & Penton-Voak, I. (2002). Evolutionary psychology of facial attractiveness. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11, 154-158.

Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., Thomas, G., & Giles, L. (1999). Ideals in intimate relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 72.

Gleitman, H., Gross, J., Reisberg, D. (2011). Chapter 1: Research methods, Chapter 2: The genetic and evolutionary roots of behavior. In: Psychology. (eighth edition) W.W. Norton and Company.

Gray, P. B., Straftis, A. A., Bird, B. M., McHale, T. S., & Zilioli, S. (2020). Human reproductive behavior, life history, and the challenge hypothesis: A 30-year review, retrospective and future directions. Hormones and Behavior, 123, 104530.

Jonason, P. K., Garcia, J. R., Webster, G. D., Li, N. P., & Fisher, H. E. (2015). Relationship dealbreakers: Traits people avoid in potential mates. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41, 1697-1711.

Li, N. P., van Vugt, M., & Colarelli, S. M. (2018). The evolutionary mismatch hypothesis: Implications for psychological science. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27, 38-44.

Luo, S. (2017). Assortative mating and couple similarity: Patterns, mechanisms, and consequences. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 11, e12337.

Singh, D. (1993). Adaptive significance of female physical attractiveness: role of waist-to-hip ratio. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 293.

Szepsenwol, O., Zamir, O., & Simpson, J. A. (2019). The effect of early-life harshness and unpredictability on intimate partner violence in adulthood: A life history perspective. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36, 1542-1556.

Tooby, J. & Cosmides, L. (1997). Evolutionary Psychology: A Primer. Retrieved from: https://www.cep.ucsb.edu/primer.html

Trivers, R. L. (1974). Parent-offspring conflict. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 14, 249-264.

Recommended readings:

● Buss, D. M., Meston, C. (2010) Why Women Have Sex. Understanding Sexual Motivation from Adventure to Revenge (and Everything in Between). Random House.

● Diamond, J. (1991) The Third Chimpanzee. The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal. Hutchinson Radius.

● Diamond, J. (1997) Why is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality. Basic Books.

● Fletcher, G. J., Simpson, J. A., Campbell, L., & Overall, N. C. (2019). The science of intimate relationships. John Wiley & Sons.

● Mogilski, J. K. & Shackelford, T. K. (2023). The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology and Romantic Relationships. Oxford University Press

Last update: Csajbók Zsófia, M.A., Ph.D. (06.09.2024)

lectures

Last update: Csajbók Zsófia, M.A., Ph.D. (05.09.2024)

Evaluation will be based on attendance, participation in classes, doing homework, oral group presentations, doing group work in classes (e.g., discussions).

Written in-class test will measure the students’ factual knowledge at the last class.

Students must attend 2 lecture days out of 3. If they miss more than 1 lecture, they must write a 10-page essay.

Final grade will be calculated on the basis of 45% presentation, 5% attendance, and 50% test result combined.

Grading scheme:

81% - 100%: 1

66% - 80%: 2

51% - 65%: 3

< 51%: 4

Test written in class:
The test will be a multiple choice test written in class on Moodle. Students shall bring their own laptop to class to complete the test. Students can notify us in advance if they need a university laptop to write the test on.

Student presentations:

Student groups will be formed, depending on the class size, 2-4 students per group will present jointly. The topic should be connected to the class contents, students should consult the lecturers if they need suggestions for scientific literature or ideas for topics to present.

Last update: Csajbók Zsófia, M.A., Ph.D. (05.09.2024)

18.10.2024, 14:10-17:30: Introduction to course, parental investment and sexual strategies theory, relationship types, love, sexual satisfaction (lecturer: Štěrbová)

8.11.2024, 14:10-17:30: Mate preferences (absolute and relative), assortative mating and other mate preference integration models, ideal standards model, mental health and romantic relationships (lecturer: Csajbók)

22.11.2024, 14:10-17:30: Developmental correlates of romantic relationships, attachment and trauma, life history strategy, intimate partner violence, jealousy (lecturer: Zakreski)

29.11.2024, 14:10-15:10: WRITTEN TEST! (bring own laptop or notify if laptop is needed)

6.12.2024, 14:10-17:30: Student conference (aka student presentations, presenting student groups will be created in class 8.11.2024)

Last update: Csajbók Zsófia, M.A., Ph.D. (05.09.2024)