The Co-Evolution of Sexual Desire,
Narcissistic Vulnerability, and Adaptations
for Reproductive Advantage

from :Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry

According to evolutionary psychologists humans possess a variety of “sexual ornaments,” physical as well as psychological traits that have evolved as adaptations for reproductive advantage. These sexual ornaments serve as sexually selected indicators of ftness that are automatically assessed, inspire attentional adhesion, and evoke sexual desire in those searching for a mate. Mate choice is therefore etermined by the relative presence or absence of these sexually selected indicators of ftness in comparison to the competition

According to evolutionary biologists, animals attract mates by displaying indices of mate quality known as “sexually selected ftness indicators” like a peacock’s bright plumage (Andersson, 1994). Sexually selected ftness indicators are “honest signals” (Sugiyama, 2005) that individuals are fertile, healthy, would make good parents, and/or possess low mutational load and therefore would be capable of siring and/or raising ft and healthy offspring.

Contrary to what many people have been taught, evolution has nothing to do with the survival of the fttest. It is not a question of whether you live or die. The key to evolution is reproduction. Whereas all organisms eventually die, not all organisms reproduce. … Organisms do not compete among themselves for scarce resources or survival. Rather, they compete for genetic representation in subsequent generations. … As a consequence, what is or is not adaptive has to be measured in terms of its impact on re-production. An adaptive trait is one that confers a reproductive advantage. (Ash & Gallup, 2008, p. 313)