In her most recent book, Hrdy examines, in depth, the sociobiology of reproduction and motherhood. She criticises the essentialist view, esposed by influential writers from Spencer to Freud, which sees women as wombs and little more, using science and history to further her argument. She covers some of the same ground as in The Woman That Never Evolved , but more thoroughly, in greater depth, and with fewer monkeys. Her explanation of female aesthetic choice in animals is clear and concise.
Females choose symmetrical males.
If females select males by scent, they do not need to see males to pick symmetrical ones. This widespread preference for symmetry has been proven in humans, as well. We know that symmetry is associated with having had a well-fed healthy mother, and being generally free of disease. For each mother, life is a series of turning points and decisions mostly about how best to allocate resources over the courses of her lifetime, be it long or short. Such mothers exist, but they do not evolve as species-typical universals of the female sex except under the most stringent circumstances.