Breakup makes women intelligent

In tears after a break-up? Just chill as women who are ditched in love eventually become bold and strong to find a better mate in future, say researchers. There are consequences of female intra-sexual mate competition that may be both evolutionarily adaptive and also beneficial for personal growth and development.

Woman who "loses" her mate to another woman will go through a period of post-relationship grief and betrayal. "But she will come out of the experience with higher mating intelligence that allows her to better detect cues in future mates that may indicate low mate value. Hence, in the long-term, she wins," explained Craig Morris from Binghamton University in the US.

"The 'other woman' conversely, is now in a relationship with a partner who has a demonstrated history of deception and likely, infidelity. Thus, in the long-term, she loses," Morris added in the paper published in the Oxford Handbook of Women and Competition. The team from Binghamton University and University College London conducted an online survey of 5,705 participants from 96 countries.

The research highlights the ways in which humans women, in particular have adapted themselves to cope with breakups. "If we have evolved to seek out and maintain relationships, then it seems logical that there would be evolved mechanisms and responses to relationship termination, as over 85 per cent of individuals will experience at least one in their lifetime," Morris stated. "They can learn that they are not alone that virtually everyone goes through this, that it's okay to seek help if needed and that they will get through it," Morris noted.