Mate Selection and Preferences Across Decades

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Mate Selection    

Running head:  MATE SELECTION AND PREFERENCES ACROSS DECADES

Mate Selection and Preferences Across Decades

Michelle Varnum

Saint Martin’s University

Abstract

Mate selection and preferences will be explored from various participants throughout the World Wide Web and through previous research conducted by professionals using 15 professional journal articles.  100 participants filled out an online survey on what characteristics they look for in selecting a potential partner.  Participants responded to what type of person they’d rather be with and the number one characteristic they look for when selecting a mate.  It is predicted that not only physical attractiveness, depending on gender, is the main characteristic that people look for when selecting a potential partner, but so is personality.  Various studies and former research regarding physical attractiveness and personality will be discussed.  The results proved that a non-physical aspect such as personality is just as important, if not more, as attractiveness to most people when selecting a romantic mate.

Mate Selection and Preferences Across Decades

        Psychologists and researchers have spent many dedicated hours studying the characteristics that people look for when selecting a potential mate.  The results have been surprising in some cases; stereotypes have even been exhausted in that looks alone are not truly the number one characteristic that most people look for when deciding to build a romantic relationship with a certain person.  In fact, based on research and surveys, looks may not even be the top criterion when deciding on a mate, depending on gender.  Research has shown that personality is just as important when selecting a mate as is attractiveness.  The stereotype that most people are only attracted to others who possess good looks is proven in this paper to be a notion of the past.  This paper will prove the assertion and detail the important studies that have found that attractiveness is not the main key component in selecting a romantic partner.

        “The choice of a marriage partner is one of the most serious decisions people face,” (Fisman, Iyengar, Kamenica, & Simonson, 2006).   This notion has evolved over time with the evolutionary theory.  In previous centuries, most marriages were arranged, and the only deciding factors in a mate were the parents.  The 20th century documented some monumental changes in the way we met people and developed romantic relationships.  With the publicized use of the internet, made possible by the government, finding a mate is as easy as a tap of a key.  According to Buss, Shackelford, Kirkpatrick, and Larsen (2001), technological advances would also mean that values and characteristics that people look for when selecting a partner have also evolved.  For example, they also go on to state that economically, with more and more women entering the workforce, women now have greater financial resources at their fingertips, which means that the less they depend on a man for financial support (Buss, Shackelford, Kirkpatrick, & Larsen, 2001).  

        In the 21st century, men and women have a multitude of options as far as what kind of relationship they choose to be in, such as casual sex relationships (i.e. short-term), long-term with marriage, long-term without marriage, and even polygamous.  With all these options, it’s a wonder that people get together to begin with.  But one reason could perhaps explain it; Charles Darwin’s theory of Sexual Selection that causes males and females to want to mate with one another (Buss & Barnes, 1986).  In his book “Men, Love, and Sex,” author David Zinczenko states that it’s the man’s job to fulfill his biological role by reproducing (p. 57).  Geary, Vigil, and Byrd-Craven agree that while men are mostly interested in reproducing, women, on the other hand, are more interested in the long-term parental investment and want to seek males that help support the parental role (2004).

        Despite the various relationship types, marriage remains to be a “cross-cultural universal,” (Berscheid & Regan, 1997).  According to Betzig (1989), Daly, and Wilson (1983), “…all known human societies endorse and practice some form of long-term mating arrangement…”  Several theories help to explain what criteria people look for when choosing a potential mate and possible marriage partner, such as social context theories and evolutionary theories.  Social context theories mainly involve cultural, social, as well as historical backgrounds, while the second theoretical approach assumes that evolution, namely natural and sexual selection, play a major role in mate selection (Berscheid & Regan, 1997).  The “social role theory” purposes that expectations are developed based on personal beliefs regarding sexually appropriate behavior and attributes (Eagley, 1987; Eagley & Karau, 1991).  For example:

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In Western cultures, the male role traditionally has centered on occupational and economic tasks, whereas the female role traditionally has focused on domestic tasks.

Consequently, sex differences in social behavior are believed to be caused in part by the tendency of people to behave in a manner consistent with their sex roles.  Applied to mating behavior, this principle suggests that, to the extent that people prefer others to behave in accordance with existing sex-role stereotypes, “male” characteristics, attributes, and concerns such as a high-paying job and assertiveness will be valued more by women than by men when considering and selecting ...

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