Quote:
Originally Posted by Marie Monday
Sure, but I think the effect of biology is not as great as many people think. Men probably have a greater sex drive than women on average, but I think that's only partly because of a difference in hormones. It's also partly that they are expected to behave that way.
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in this specific domain (being selective with sexual partners) I think biology is more relevant than you think. As for expectations... Social conditioning plays a role but often the norms we push socially are only reinforcing the basic underlying biological drive. It's not an either or situation.
Example: men are more violent than women. This obviously has social cues you can point to with regard to what we think is masculine etc. But I find it hard to believe that it's a coincidence that the sex that specialized in hunting and war in the hunter gatherer context is also the sex that is more violent today and also the sex we expect to go to war if need be etc. It's not a coincidence that the sex that is more physically apt to be violent is more violent. And it's not a coincidence that women are more selective with partners and more reliant on things like chemistry etc since they are also the ones who have the kids. And we're a pair bonding species. So mate selection for a woman has intrinsically different implications.
I know it's not always appealing to look at ourselves as animals with a scientific lense. But I've yet to hear a compelling reason why this isn't the most plausible explanation.