Re: Evolution and Sexuality

From: Maguire, Nick (NICK92@psy.soton.ac.uk)
Date: Fri Mar 10 1995 - 11:32:51 GMT


Just a couple of thoughts on the last lecture and Louise's/Mark's/
Beth's comments.

I think that Beth was right when she asked if maladaptive learning
could override evolutionary cues. Perhaps this is extended to any
learning. Given this, we are socialised against sociobiological urges
(such as rape) pretty effectively. As far as I know rape is a power
thing, not a sex thing. So the proximal cause is nothing to do with
satisfying a sexual urge, rather it is to redress a perceived lack of
self efficacy. This is obviously a social explanation; what I am trying
to do is establish a relationship between social and sociobiological
levels of explanation. Perhaps social explanations are only concerned
with the proximal - but these are surely the most important if learning
can and does 'replace' evolution.

So, I would argue, men are not all potential rapists, given that they
(most) are socialised not to, and even those who do do not have
reproduction in mind. The distal 'cause' of rape is insignificant.
Any comments? Nick.



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