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Evolutionary psychologists claim that these differences evolved in response to the different reproductive challenges faced by men and women.
For a woman to reproduce, she must endure a long pregnancy and a dangerous childbirth, and then feed and care for the child until it is old enough to survive on its own. Her chances of reproductive success are greatly enhanced by selecting a mate who will stay around after conception, to provide protection, food, and other resources. Today’s women are the descendants of females who were good at evaluating the resources and commitment of potential mates.
On the other hand, a man’s ability to reproduce depends on his mate’s fertility. His chances of reproductive success are greatly enhanced by selecting a mate who is young and healthy. Over millions of years, men who preferred young, vigorous mates (with clear skin, bright eyes, and symmetrical faces to indicate good health) had many healthy children. Today’s men are the descendants of males who were good at visually assessing the health and fertility of potential mates.