Buss

Year

1989

Aim

To investigate cross cultural similarities and differences in mate preferences in males and females

Method

A survey

• Questions on preferred age and age difference etc

• Section requesting participants to rate each of 18 characteristics in how desirable they’d be in a mate

Participants

37 samples from 33 countries on 6 continents, over 10,000 in total

Results

• Females valued good financial prospects, attempting to maximise survival of offspring (support for evolutionary explanations)

• Males valued physical attractiveness, evolutionary explanations- males find traits associated with fertility desirable

• Males preferred younger females ( younger females have higher reproductive capacity )

• Females preferred der men possibly due to maturity or experience

Conclusion

Gender differences in preferences were consistent across culture and fit the evolutionary explanations well. Females appear to be maximising offspring survival and reproductive succes while Males appear to be looking for more fertile females