Human sexual selection

• Sexual selection has been stronger in humans than is often assumed.
• Ancestral men competed primarily through force and threat of force.
• Ancestral women competed mainly through mate attraction.
• Understanding sexual selection clarifies some human psychological sex differences.

Sexual selection favors traits that aid in competition over mates. Widespread monogamous mating, biparental care, moderate body size sexual dimorphism, and low canine tooth dimorphism suggest modest sexual selection operating over human evolution, but other evidence indicates that sexual selection has actually been comparatively strong. Ancestral men probably competed for mates mainly by excluding competitors by force or threat, and women probably competed primarily by attracting mates. These and other forms of sexual selection shaped human anatomy and psychology, including some psychological sex differences.