Mating in the Modern World

4 units · Undergraduate upper division (100-199)

Lecture, three hours. Human mating desires are deeply rooted in a long evolutionary history in which there were no smart phones, Instagram pages, dating apps—or even any strangers to meet within your local subgroup. There was no reliable contraception and little choice for women about whether to have families or pursue opportunities for social advancement. Theories in evolutionary social science predict a variety of patterns in human mating desires, tying current behavior to the ancient ancestral past. Exploration of how the modern world, with advent of technology, pharmacology, and shifting gender roles, works in conjunction with these ancient mating desires. Topics include social media, hormonal contraceptives, variation in gender and sexual orientation, hook-up culture, pro-female versus pro-male social movements, and shifting gender norms. Letter grading.