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Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Sexual Psychology and Behavior pp 323–346Cite as

Intrasexual Competition and Other Theories of Eating Restriction

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Abstract

Various forms of disordered eating and unhealthy eating practices, including excessive dieting, vomiting, binging and purging, and diet-motivated drug use, negatively affect and are potentially fatal to millions of individuals. We describe the etiology of disordered eating as well as various hypotheses on this phenomenon, both from traditional, non-evolutionary perspectives and from evolutionary perspectives. In particular, we explore in detail the intrasexual competition hypothesis, which draws on a broad evolutionary theory: intrasexual selection. From this perspective, women are thought to have evolved to compete intrasexually on thinness, which would have indicated youth and nubility in the ancestral past (Abed, 1998). In modern societies, however, an oversaturation of nubile-looking females, both real and virtual, may overstimulate this competitive mechanism, leading to unresolved body image dissatisfaction and eating restriction to the point of ill health. We discuss the theory, research, and implications of intrasexual competition and then provide a consideration of future directions for research on disordered eating.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Singapore Management University, School of Social Sciences, 90 Stamford Road, Level 4, Singapore, 178903, Singapore

    Norman P. Li

  2. Department of Psychology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA

    April R. Smith

  3. School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, Singapore, Singapore

    Jose C. Yong

  4. Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Tiffany A. Brown

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  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

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Li, N.P., Smith, A.R., Yong, J.C., Brown, T.A. (2014). Intrasexual Competition and Other Theories of Eating Restriction. In: Weekes-Shackelford, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Sexual Psychology and Behavior. Evolutionary Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0314-6_17

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