زنان بارور بیشتر خواستارند: افزایش تخمک گذاری در حداقل معیارهای ترجیحات همسر در طیف گسترده ای از ویژگی ها و زمینه های روابط

The ovulatory shift hypothesis (Gangestad, Thornhill, & Garver-Apgar, 2005) makes three predictions. First, it posits that during peak fertility, women are more attracted to males who display characteristics of good genes. Secondly, it predicts that women predominantly experience ovulatory shifts when evaluating males as short-term sexual partners. Lastly, it predicts that ovulatory shifts should be non-existent when measuring mate preferences associated with long-term partner quality. However given that female preferences are formulated as a means to offset costs associated with reproduction (Buss, 1994) and such costs are more likely to be incurred during peak fertility, the current study (via the ovulatory reproductive safeguards hypothesis) posits that women during peak fertility should show a general increase in their mate preference criteria across a variety of characteristics and relationships. Using a within-subjects design and hormonal markers of fertility status, the present study investigates the degree to which ovulatory shifts in preferences are limited to short-term sexual liaisons and the degree to which such shifts are associated with characteristics related to long-term partner quality. Contrary to the ovulatory shift hypothesis (and in support of the ovulatory reproductive safeguards hypothesis), ovulatory shifts were found across a wide range of relationship contexts and preference characteristics.

Over the last two decades, there has been a growing interest in ovulatory shifts in mate preferences; this interest has recently culminated in a meta-analysis (Gildersleeve, Haselton, & Fales, 2014). Within this analysis, Gildersleeve and colleagues concluded that ovulatory shifts in mate preferences represent strategic shifts in preferring ancestral markers of high genetic quality (i.e., good genes) during peak fertility. Past research has documented such ovulatory shifts in mate choice on a variety of characteristics thought to be associated with ancestral good genes including symmetry (e.g., Gangestad and Thornhill, 1998 and Little et al., 2007), dominance (e.g., Gangestad et al., 2007 and Lukaszewski and Roney, 2009) and masculinity (e.g., Little et al., 2002, Penton-Voak et al., 1999 and Puts, 2005). The predominant explanation for these changes in mate preferences has been outlined within the ovulatory shift hypothesis.