Crossing the Abyss: Erotica and the Intersection of Evolutionary Psychology and Literary Studies

Publication year
2005
Pages
244-257
Comment

Male-oriented pornography and female-oriented romance novels are multibillion dollar global industries whose products have been shaped in free markets by consumer preferences - by individuals who make an effort to acquire them. An evolutionary perspective suggests that what makes them successful or appealing to their audiences is how well they tap into basic male and female sexual psychologies. (245)

It would seem this evolutionary perspective doesn't take into account the changes in, diversification within, and potential differences in preferences between different markets for popular romance fiction. However, this is presumably because to an evolutionary psychologist such differences are negligible and the "world of romance is remarkably unchanged over time, at least from the eighteenth century until now" (247).

I have not been able to access all of this article, so the list of topics covered is not necessarily complete.