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Evolutionary and Psychological Insights Into the Suppression of Female Sexuality

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Evolutionary and Psychological Insights Into the Suppression of Female Sexuality Evolutionary and psychological insights into the suppression of female sexuality Dax Joseph Kellie A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science September 2019 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Kellie First Name: Dax Other name/s: Joseph Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences; Faculty: Science Evolution & Ecology Research Centre Title: Evolutionary and psychological insights into the suppression of female sexuality Abstract 350 words maximum: A number of competing theories spanning multiple disciplines currently exist on who restricts female sexuality, most positing that men, and some positing that women are responsible for its suppression. In this thesis, I explore female sexual suppression, drawing from current multiple evolutionary and psychological theories, to understand who may benefit from female sexual suppression. In Experiment 1, I investigated whether men and women anticipate lying more often to their family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances or partners about their sexual history. I find that women and men tell their biggest and most frequent lies to their parents, especially women to their fathers, suggesting parents strongly enforce sexual restriction on their daughters. In Chapters 3 and 4 I investigate which appearance-based judgements increase men and women’s objectifying perceptions of others. Results show that while positive judgements of women’s attractiveness can mitigate negative perceptions of them, negative judgements of women pursuing casual sex increase men and women’s objectification. In Chapter 5, I test which aspects of female sex work—the sexual act itself, the money received or the woman’s perceived autonomy— explain negative, dehumanising perceptions of women. I find that simply knowing that women engage in casual sex in a job, hobby or activity, rather than the money they earn or their autonomy, strongly increases dehumanising perceptions of women. Taken together, results of this thesis suggest that many men, but also some women, may benefit from attitudes or behaviours that restrict female sexuality. This outcome was not predicted by any single-discipline approach to female sexual suppression. Collectively utilizing psychological, evolutionary and economic frameworks to understand men’s and women’s attitudes and behaviours will be vital for understanding what drives sexism, sexual double standards and the broader suppression of female sexuality. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only) ……………………………… …… … …20 September, 2019……… Signature Witness Signature Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: INCLUSION OF PUBLICATIONS STATEMENT ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed …………………………………………….............. Date ……23 April, 2020………………….............. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date ……23 April, 2020…………………........................... AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date …23 April, 2020……………………........................... INCLUSION OF PUBLICATIONS STATEMENT UNSW is supportive of candidates publishing their research results during their candidature as detailed in the UNSW Thesis Examination Procedure. Publications can be used in their thesis in lieu of a Chapter if: The candidate contributed greater than 50% of the content in the publication and is the “primary author”, ie. the candidate was responsible primarily for the planning, execution and preparation of the work for publication The candidate has approval to include the publication in their thesis in lieu of a Chapter from their supervisor and Postgraduate Coordinator. The publication is not subject to any obligations or contractual agreements with a third party that would constrain its inclusion in the thesis Please indicate whether this thesis contains published material or not: This thesis contains no publications, either published or ☐ submitted for publication (if this box is checked, you may delete all the material on page 2) Some of the work described in this thesis has been published and it has been documented in the relevant Chapters with ☒ acknowledgement (if this box is checked, you may delete all the material on page 2) This thesis has publications (either published or submitted for ☐ publication) incorporated into it in lieu of a chapter and the details are presented below CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION I declare that: I have complied with the UNSW Thesis Examination Procedure where I have used a publication in lieu of a Chapter, the listed publication(s) below meet(s) the requirements to be included in the thesis. Candidate’s Name Signature Date (dd/mm/yy) Dax Kellie 23/04/2020 Acknowledgements Although my name is smack-dab on the front of this thesis, a PhD is not completed alone. A PhD is a work that reflects a great number of people who have helped to make the last 4 years of my research, and more importantly, the last 4 years of all the other aspects of my life a real success (or so that’s what a PhD thesis makes it look like). Without the following people (and countless others who I cannot fit in this section without it doubling the size of what is already a piece of writing that is a little long for most casual readers), this PhD thesis would not have been possible. To Rob Brooks, thank you for inspiring me everyday to love science and enjoy thinking about the world. I am still in awe of how you visualise and think about the world as you do. It has been an absolute pleasure to discuss difficult concepts with you and learn how to tackle them from many different angles. Thank you for creating a lab space that has been relaxed and friendly. This is something that I hope to take with me as I one day attempt to do the same. And thank you for providing those final words of encouragement at the very end of my PhD when I was mentally and emotionally at my lowest. The chats we had over the last few weeks helped push me to the finish line. To Khandis Blake, little did we know that on the day we met and celebrated your PhD (with far too many drinks) that it could have led to this. You have been an amazing academic presence and have inspired my research and my work-ethic. More than that, you have been an effective supervisor while also being a great friend. I still don’t really know how it works so well. Thank you for your support through the slough that is a PhD and for always making me feel like you had time for me (even when I know you didn’t). To Beanbag Society, who I lovingly refer to as “the beans,” thank you for giving me support (social, academic and liquid) to persist and enjoy my PhD experience. A PhD can be lonely. In retrospect, I realise I was feeling this way through my first year. What a fortuitous change it was to meet a group of people who I loved to be around (and who I really enjoyed yelling at when we played One Night Werewolf).
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