scholarly journals Mutual mate choice drives the desirability of altruism in relationships

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Farrelly ◽  
Laura King

Although previous research has found that altruism is an important trait in human mate choice, much of this has concentrated on female preferences only. Subsequently, the current study explored how both men and women desire altruistic partners who varied in physical attractiveness for both short and long term romantic relationships. A sample of 136 women and 53 men viewed profiles of members of the opposite sex of either high or low physical attractiveness, alongside scenarios that described them as either being altruistic or not. Participants then rated each targets’ desirability as both a short and long term partner. As hypothesised, altruism was rated more desirable, particularly for long term relationships, by both men and women. However there were inconsistent findings when physical attractiveness was accounted for, which did not support the hypotheses nor directly replicate previous findings. Overall it was concluded that although the study provided strong support for the desirability of altruism being due to mutual mate choice, the additional effects of examining other mate choice traits such as attractiveness shows much is still to be known. Study materials and data available at DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/STXPF

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 147470491881213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evita March ◽  
George Van Doorn ◽  
Rachel Grieve

The booty-call relationship is defined by both sexual characteristics and emotional involvement. In the current study, men’s and women’s preferences for a booty-call mate were explored. Men and women were predicted to exhibit different mate preferences depending on whether they considered a booty-call relationship a short- or long-term relationship. Participants ( N = 559, 74% women) completed an anonymous online questionnaire, designing their ideal booty-call mate using the mate dollars paradigm. Both sexes considered the physical attractiveness and kindness of a booty-call mate a necessity, expressing both short- and long-term mate preferences. The current study highlights the need to explore mate preferences outside the dichotomy of short- and long-term relationships, providing evidence of a compromise relationship.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menelaos Apostolou

Abstract. A considerable proportion of the population experiences varying degrees of same-sex attraction. It has been proposed that men exhibit high tolerance to their partner’s same-sex infidelity, which allows such predispositions to exist in a relative high frequency in the population. On this basis, the hypothesis was tested that heterosexual men and women would differ in their tolerance level, with men exhibiting higher tolerance to same-sex infidelity than women. Evidence from an online sample of 590 heterosexual Greek-speaking participants provided strong support for this hypothesis. In particular, the vast majority of women exhibited low tolerance, while about one in two men exhibited high tolerance to same-sex infidelity. Furthermore, men and women exhibited higher tolerance to the same-sex infidelity of their long-term than of their short-term partners, with men exhibiting higher tolerance in the latter case. In addition, women exhibited low tolerance to opposite-sex and same-sex infidelity, but men exhibited low tolerance to opposite-sex infidelity, but much higher tolerance to same-sex infidelity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Wendy Iredale ◽  
Keli Jenner ◽  
Mark Van Vugt ◽  
Tammy Dempster

One of the evolutionary adaptive benefits of altruism may be that it acts as an honest (reliable) signal of men’s mate quality. In this study, 285 female participants were shown one of three video scenarios in which a male target took £30 out of a cash machine (ATM) and gave either a lot (£30), a little (£1), or nothing to a homeless man. The participants rated the male target on his attractiveness, their short- and long-term mate preferences towards him, and the degree to which they thought he was likely to possess various parenting qualities. The results showed that, regardless of whether the man was described as rich or poor, participants rated him as being more attractive when he donated money, but only when the donation was costly (£30). In addition, altruism was shown to be important in long-term, but not short-term mate choice, and displays of altruism were associated with positive parenting qualities. It is argued that displays of altruism act as a reliable (honest) mate signal for a potential long-term parental partner.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 237802311668533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Geist ◽  
Sarah Brauner-Otto

Using five waves of the German Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics ( pairfam), we examine how economic circumstances are related to fertility intentions in childless young men and women in East and West Germany. We explore multiple dimensions of fertility intentions: short-term intentions for the next two years, long-term expectations about family size, and uncertainty about these short- and long-term intentions. Our findings suggest that economic circumstances constrain fertility intentions and increase uncertainty. Although fertility intentions differ between men and women and by region, the broad mechanisms that predict intentions are very similar across groups for long-term intentions and uncertainty. However, group differences emerge in short-term intentions.


2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 147470490800600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Clark

Proceptive signals may influence judgments of opposite-sex attractiveness because these signals indicate high mate quality and/or non-threatening behavior but they may also signal high probable rate of return for mating effort. If so, individuals observing these signals may be sensitive to where the signals are directed to; signals directed toward other individuals may not predict what signals would be directed toward the observer. To explore these possibilities I made use of video stimuli composed of mock interviews with actors. Each actor did one proceptive and one unreceptive interview. Each interview was presented as being directed toward participants or toward an opposite sex interviewer. Proceptivity enhanced the attractiveness of opposite-sex actors and an interaction between proceptive state and signal direction was found, with this pattern varying substantially between actors. The possibility that this variation is mediated by the physical attractiveness and sex of the actors will be discussed.


2020 ◽  
pp. 000169932092091
Author(s):  
Limor Gabay-Egozi ◽  
Meir Yaish

Vocational and academic curricula are said to hold both short-term and long-term consequences for economic outcomes. The literature on this topic, however, fails to address the long-term consequences of educational tracking. Just as important, this literature did not examine returns to high-school tracking within levels of further education. This paper aims to fill these gaps in the literature. Utilizing longitudinal data of Israeli men and women who graduated high school in the late 1980s and entered the labor market in the early 1990s, we examine their earning trajectories throughout age 50 in 2013. The results indicate that for men without college degrees, vocational education provides pay premiums at labor-market entry. With time, however, these earnings’ premiums decline and diminish. A similar pattern characterizes degree holders, though the decline in the pay premiums is less steep when compared to men without a college degree. For women we do not find similar vocational effects. Taken together, our results indicate that the more substantial differences in earnings trajectories in Israel, among men and women alike, are associated with level of education and not with high-school tracks. The theoretical and potential policy implications of these findings are discussed.


Author(s):  
Kaitlyn P. White ◽  
Peter K. Jonason ◽  
Laith Al-Shawaf

Abstract Objective Mates high in physical attractiveness are in short supply, which means that not all people are able to find mates who are sufficiently attractive. Threshold models of mate preferences suggest that when physical attractiveness minimums are not reached, other traits possessed by a potential partner may play a lesser role in mate choice. However, few studies have sought to understand mating decisions when those minimums are not met. Methods In this experiment (N = 186), participants rated images of (pre-rated) unattractive opposite-sex others for long-term and short-term relationships after learning dealbreaker or dealmaker information. Results While participants did not find targets highly desirable or physically attractive (as a stimulus check), men were more willing than women to have casual sex, and that men and women reported similar desirability ratings towards long-term partners. Learning dealbreakers was associated with less desire for the targets than dealmakers, but women’s lack of interest was insensitive to mating context, whereas men found the target especially undesirable in the long-term context. Additionally, men were willing to consider a long-term relationship with a physically unattractive partner who possessed dealmakers, but not one who possessed dealbreakers. Conclusions Our discussion focuses on men and women’s mating decisions when potential partners fail to meet minimum thresholds for physical attractiveness. Future research is needed to explore the magnitude of the effect of meeting or failing to meet one’s minimum thresholds for physical attractiveness.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Jauk ◽  
Aljoscha C. Neubauer ◽  
Thomas Mairunteregger ◽  
Stephanie Pemp ◽  
Katharina P. Sieber ◽  
...  

Dark Triad traits (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) are linked to the pursuit of short–term mating strategies, but they may have differential effects on actual mating success in naturalistic scenarios: Narcissism may be a facilitator for men's short–term mating success, while Machiavellianism and psychopathy may be detrimental. To date, little is known about the attractiveness of Dark Triad traits in women. In a speed–dating study, we assessed participants‘ Dark Triad traits, Big Five personality traits, and physical attractiveness in N = 90 heterosexual individuals (46 women and 44 men). Each participant rated each partner's mate appeal for short– and long–term relationships. Across both sexes, narcissism was positively associated with mate appeal for short– and long–term relationships. Further analyses indicated that these associations were due to the shared variance among narcissism and extraversion in men and narcissism and physical attractiveness in women, respectively. In women, psychopathy was also positively associated with mate appeal for short–term relationships. Regarding mating preferences, narcissism was found to involve greater choosiness in the rating of others‘ mate appeal (but not actual choices) in men, while psychopathy was associated with greater openness towards short–term relationships in women. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology


1997 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 738-738
Author(s):  
Monica A. Payne

A sample of 202 New Zealand students (81 men, 121 women) listed their short- and long-term “personal projects.” Most frequently mentioned were academic success, improved fitness, and financial well-being. Some characteristic differences were noted in the specific concerns of men and women.


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