PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Candace J. Black

MA-Research
August 2008

Do Oral Contraceptives Influence Female Preferences for Mates?

    Sexual reproduction has arguably been one of the most important cornerstones in human evolution by enabling Homo sapiens to evolve cognitive machinery capable of achieving ecological dominance.  Thus, if reproduction facilitates the evolution of mankind, then mate selection is the fountainhead of humanity and preferences for certain traits may be informative in explaining how we evolved.  This research examined the trade-off women face with choosing mates that vary in condition and willingness to commit.  These preferences may be influenced by fertility, so this experiment compared normally-ovulating women to oral contraceptive-using women.  Results revealed fertility effects when a potential mate advertised only creativity, and only as an immediate dating partner.  This effect diminished when a creative prospect was also perceived to have additional qualities.  Women preferred creative-but-uncommitting males as short-term mates, but uncreative-but-committed males across immediate dating partner, long-term, and immediate relationship partner domains.  No effects of oral contraceptives were found.

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