Readings
There is no assigned textbook for this course. Journal articles and on-line content will be listed on this page.
Due to recent changes in Canadian copyright law, I can not put direct links to all of the readings. For many of these you will have to go into the University Library system (www.library.ualberta.ca) and search out the journal article on your own. However, I have selected readings for which there are pdf files available. When a reading is publicly accessible I have put a direct link to the source.
Week 1: 11-13 January
RECOMMENDED
Cosmides, L., Tooby, J. & Barkow, J.H. (1992). Introduction: Evolutionary psychology and conceptual integration. In: J. Barkow, L. Cosmides, & J. Tooby (eds.) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture. New York: Oxford University Press. PDF version of this chapter (www.psych.ucsb.edu/research/cep/papers/Evol_integrat.pdf)
- The intro to the 1992 book that laid out basis of the Santa Barbra school of evolutionary psychology's approach to the field. Take a quick skim through this to get a feel of the broad theoretical approach the Cosmides and Tooby wanted to bring to the study of psychology.
Week 2: 18-20 January
REQUIRED
Cosmides, L. & Tooby, J. (1992). Cognitive adaptations for social exchange. In: J. Barkow, L. Cosmides, & J. Tooby (eds.) The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture. New York: Oxford University Press. PDF version of this chapter (www.psych.ucsb.edu/research/cep/papers/Cogadapt.pdf)
- A more detailed account of the important concepts of adaptiveness, modularity, and the distinction Cosmides and Tooby make between their approach to psychology and what they term the Standard Social Science Model.
Langlois, J.H., Kalakanis, L., Rubenstein, A.J., Larson, A., Hallam, M., & Smoot, M. (2000). Maxims or myths of beauty? A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 126(1), 390-423. PDF version of this article (http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/group/LangloisLAB/meta.PDF)
- Nice look of a variety of evolutionary psychology related findings and interpretations with respect to beauty/attractiveness.
RECOMMENDED
Buss, D.M. (1989). Sex differences in human mate preferences: Evolutionary hypotheses tested in 37 cultures. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 12, 1-49. PDF version of this article (http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/Homepage/Group/BussLAB/pdffiles/SexDifferencesinHuman.PDF)
- Classic article demonstrating the cross-cultural similarities in mate choice, raising questions about the prior assumptions in psychology that attractiveness preferences were encultured and learned.
Singh, D. & Bronstad, P.M. (1997). Sex differences in the anatomical locations of human body scarification and tattooing as a function of pathogen prevalence. Evolution and Human Behavior, 18, 403-416. Search the U of A library e-journals
- I made a brief mention to tattooing and scarification with respect to demonstration of good genes in class; if you are interested in finding out more, here's an article on the topic.
Week 3: 19-21 January
REQUIRED
Caro, T. M. & Borgerhoff Mulder M. (1987). The problem of adaptation in the study of human behavior. Ethology and Sociobiology, 8, 61-72.
Hamilton, W. D. & Zuk, M. (1982). Heritable true fitness and bright birds: A role for parasites? Science, 218, 384-387.
Singh, D. (1993). Body shape and women's attractiveness: The critical role of waist-to-hip ratio. Human Nature, 4(3), 297-321.
- The study that started the whole waist-to-hip ratio investigation.
RECOMMENDED
Singh, D. (1994). Ideal female body shape: Role of body weight and waist-to-hip ratio. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 16 (3), 283-288.
Week 4: 26-28 January
REQUIRED
Singh, D. (1994). Body fat distribution and perception of desirable female body shape by young black men and women. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 16(3), 289-294.
Singh, D. (1994). Is thin really beautiful and good? Relationship between waist-to-hip ratio (WRH) and female attractiveness. Personality and Individual Differences, 16, 123-132.
Singh, D. & Luis, S. (1995). Ethnic and gender consensus for the effect of waist-to-hip ratio on judgment of women's attractiveness. Human Nature, 6(1), 51-65.
RECOMMENDED
Anderson, J.L., Crawford, C.B., Nadeau, J., & Lindberg, T. (1992). Was the Duchess of Windsor right? A cross-cultural review of the socioecology of ideals of female body shape. Ethology and Sociobiology, 13, 197-227.
Weeks 5 & 6: 8 - 17 February
REQUIRED
Marlowe, F., Apicella, C. & Reed, D. (2005). Men's preferences for women's profile waist-to-hip ratio in two societies. Evolution and Human Behavior, 26, 458-468.
Marlowe, F. & Wetsman, A. (2001). Preferred waist-to-hip ratio and ecology. Personality and INdividual Differences, 30, 481-489.
Streeter, S. A. & McBurney, D. H. (2003). Waist-hip ratio and attractiveness. New evidence and a critique of "a critical test." Evolution and Human Behavior, 24, 88-98.
Sugiyama, L. S. (2004). Is beauty in the context-sensitive adaptations of the beholder? Shiwiar use of waist-to-hip ratio in assessments of female mate value. Evolution and Human Behavior, 25, 51-62.
Tovee, M. J. & Cornelissen, P. L. (2001). Female and male perceptions of female physical attractiveness in front-view and profile. British Journal of Psychology, 92, 391-402.
Tovee, M. J., Swami, V., Furnham, A., &. Mangalparsad, R. (2006). Canging perceptions of attractiveness as observers are exposed to a different culture. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 443-456.
Yu, D.W. & Shepard, G.H. (1998). Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Nature, 396,, 321-322.
RECOMMENDED
Furnham, A., Tan, T., & McManus, C. (1997). Waist-to-hip ratio and preferences for body shape: A replication and extension. Personality and Individual Differences, 22(4), 539-549.
Henss, R. (1995). Waist-to-hip ratio and attractiveness. Replication and extension. Personality and Individual Differences, 19(4), 479-488.
Tovee, M. J. & Cornelissen, P. L. (1999). The mystery of female beauty. Nature, 399, 215-216.
Week 7: 1-3 March
REQUIRED
Streeter, S. A. & McBurney, D. H. (2003). Waist-hip ratio and attractiveness. New evidence and a critique of "a critical test." Evolution and Human Behavior, 24, 88-98.
Tovee, M. J. & Cornelissen, P. L. (2001). Female and male perceptions of female physical attractiveness in front-view and profile. British Journal of Psychology, 92, 391-402.
Tovee, M. J., Swami, V., Furnham, A., &. Mangalparsad, R. (2006). Changing perceptions of attractiveness as observers are exposed to a different culture. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 443-456.
Week 8: 8-10 March
REQUIRED
Furnham, A., Dias, M., & McClelland, A. (1998). The role of body weight, waist-to-hip ratio, and breast size in judgments of female attractiveness. Sex Roles, 39 (3/4), 311-326.
Gueguen, N. (2007a). Bust size and hitchhiking: A field study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 105, 1294-1298.
Gueguen, N. (2007b). Women's bust size and men's courtship solicitation. Body Image, 4, 386-390.
Week 9: 15-16 March
REQUIRED
Henss, R. (2000). Waist-to-hip ratio and female attractiveness. Evidence from photographic stimuli and methodological considerations. Personality and Individual Differences, 28, 501-513.
Puhl, R.M. & Boland, F.J. (2001). Predicting female physical attractiveness. Waist-to-hip ratio versus thinness. Psychology, Evolution & Gender, 3(1), 27-46.
Smith, K.L., Cornelissen, P.L., & Tovee, M.J. (2007). Color 3D bodies and judgements of human female attractiveness. Evolution and Human Behavior, 28, 48-54.
RECOMMENDED
Fan, J., Liu, F., Wu, J., & Dai, W. (2004). Visual perception of female physical attractiveness. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 271, 147-152.
Swami, V., Salem, N., Furnham, A., & Tovee, M.J. (2008). Initial examination of the validity and reliability of the female photographic figure rating scale for body image assessment. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1752-1761.