Mate choice in humans
desirable qualities in partners
Mating preferences are qualities that one desires in a romantic or sexual partner. Research across many domains, such as evolutionary biology, psychology, and anthropology, shows that humans display both widely shared (consensual) preferences – like preferences for kindness, intelligence, and health – as well as sex-differentiated preferences shaped by ancestral selection pressures. These preferences are understood within the framework of sexual selection (first proposed by Charles Darwin in 1871) and more contemporary theories that draw on evolutionary explanations, cultural variation, and evidence from actual mating behaviors. These theories account for the variation in desires for certain traits, the divergence of preference between men and women, and the adoption of short-term vs long-term mating strategies. Together, these approaches explain the origins, adaptive functions, and real-word outcomes of human mate preferences.
Influences on human mating preference
A study of 37 cultures showed that, generally, culture plays a substantial role in forming human mating preference, accounting for 14% of variance across the study, with sex also having an effect on preference, although a smaller one (2.4%) than culture.
The study by Buss et al. indicated the largest difference between cultures affecting mating preference was modern versus traditional attitudes towards mating. It also indicated that sex has an effect on a few mate preferences - for example, appearance and "resource potential" - but little effect on most others.
Sexual selection
One of the earliest theories posited to explain mate preferences was Darwin's theory of sexual selection.
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