Human Mate Poaching

7 Pages 1788 Words

Human Mate Poaching:
Traits, Tactics and Behavioral Influences

It is a normal evolutionary part of every human to desire other human mates and want to be desired return by them. The ability to attract a mate generally means that reproduction of offspring will continue (Schmitt, 2001). Recent studies have shown that many tactics and techniques have and are being used all over the world to attract a mate (Schmitt, 2001). If however, these tactics are used on someone who is already in a relationship regardless of the nature, e.g. married, living together or dating, this is called mate poaching (Schmitt, 2001). Although most people consider this improper to do, nearly fifty percent of American men and thirty percent of American women in polled in recent studies (Schmitt, 2001) were the aggressor or poacher in the adulterous affair. Nor is this a strictly an American phenomenon. Other studies have show that around the world that sixty percent of men and forty-five percent of women have succumbed to mate poaching for a short-term affair (Schmitt, 2004), although, like the United States, their culture and religious backgrounds state that this behavior is widely viewed as being unacceptable (Rowatt, 2003). So why is there such a large gap between social ideology and actual practice? Whether the sought relationship is a short term or long-term, what personality traits does an individual possess to seek out mates already in a relationship? What makes individuals succumb to these infidelity affairs? Studies have shown that it is costs and benefits that are the significant factors in human mate poaching (Schmitt, 2004 and Schmitt 2001). From cost as like loss of children, friends and even physical abuse, to benefits of short term sexual gratification with multiple partners, or gaining better economical status with a new mate (Schmitt, 2001), again the why factor must be employed . Perhaps a closer look at evolutionary processes of human mating ...