Shopping differences between sexes show evolution at work (w/ Video)

Shopping differences between sexes show evolution at work (w/ Video)

(PhysOrg.com) -- The last-minute holiday dash is on: Men tend to rush in for their prized item, pay, and leave. Women study the fabrics, color, texture and price.

The and gathering ritual of yesteryear continues today in malls around the world. Understanding the behavior of your partner can help relieve stress at the stores, according to a researcher at the University of Michigan.

Daniel Kruger of the U-M School of Public Health says that gathering edible plants and fungi is traditionally done by women. In modern terms, think of filling a basket by selecting one item at a time, he said. Women in foraging societies return to the same patches that yield previous successful harvests, and usually stay close to home and use landmarks as guides.

U-M School of Public Health researcher Daniel Kruger explains how evolution explains the different shopping styles of men and women.

Foraging is a daily activity, often social and can include young children if necessary. When gathering, women must be very adept at choosing just the right color, texture, and smell to ensure food safety and quality. They also must time harvests, and know when a certain depleted patch will regenerate and yield good harvest again.

In modern terms, women are much more likely to know when a specific type of item will go on sale, for example, than . also spend much more time choosing the perfect gift.

Men on the other hand, often have a specific item in mind and want to get in, get it, and get out. In ancestral times, it was critical to get meat home as quickly as possible, Kruger said. Taking young children isn't safe in a hunt and would likely hinder progress. Of course these behaviors aren't genetically determined and don't apply to everyone, but there are consistent broad themes, Kruger said.

Citation: Shopping differences between sexes show evolution at work (w/ Video) (2010, December 21) retrieved 29 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2010-12-differences-sexes-evolution-video.html
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Male and female shopping strategies show evolution at work in the mall

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