Final answer:
David Buss's research suggests women compete for mates by playing hard to get, enhancing their appearance, and focusing on resource availability. This behavior is seen across species and is influenced by the mating system present, affecting male competition and energy allocation for offspring care.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the competition for mates, David Buss found that women tend to play hard to get, enhance their physical appearance, and be drawn to cues regarding availability of resources. This behavior is consistent across various species where females typically are more selective in choosing mates. During courtship, males may engage in displays or behaviors to encourage females to select them, like when a male bowerbird constructs an elaborate nest. In some species, males are also in direct competition with each other, as seen in male lions who fight for the exclusive right to mate with females.
Mating systems such as polygynous and polyandrous can be influenced by the control of resources by females, which can result in different levels of male competition. The energy expended by males in these courtship and mating processes can impact the amount of energy they have left for other activities, such as caring for offspring. For example, males that invest heavily in courtship rituals may have less energy available for parental care compared to males who attract mates through less energy-intensive means like colorful plumage.