Lec 17 on Mating Preferences and Economic Resources in Long-Term Relationships

Overview of Mating Preferences

  • Focus on human mating preferences in the context of evolutionary psychology.

  • Emphasis on differences in preferences between males and females.

  • Discussion will cover short-term mating (STM) and long-term mating (LTM).

Short Term vs Long Term Mating

  • Short Term Mating (STM):

    • Duration: Days, weeks, or months; mindset is that the relationship is temporary.

    • Focus on genetic contribution as the primary aspect of attraction (e.g., genes).

  • Long Term Mating (LTM):

    • Duration: Weeks, months, or years; mindset is that the relationship is intended to be more permanent.

    • Attractiveness involves more than genes, including the partner's contribution to offspring and support.

Female Mating Preferences in the Context of Long-Term Relationships

  • Women’s preferences historically enhance reproductive fitness for both themselves and their offspring.

  • Women have diverse preferences based on various attributes, influenced by available mates and relative opportunity.

Economic Resources as a Key Preferences

  • Definition: Economic resources are measurable assets necessary for survival and raising offspring. Food, shelter, and the tools to obtain both are resources critical for survival and health.

  • Importance of resources in mating contexts:

    • Children require significant investment (time and resources).

    • Women bear the burden of child-rearing and have reduced mobility/ability to secure resources during pregnancy and nursing.

Evidence from Other Species

  • Example: Shrike birds display resources (like food) in their territory to attract mates, establishing that resource display plays a significant role in female choice.

Evolutionary Psychology and Human Mating Preferences

  • Human societies have historically displayed and utilized resources.

  • Variation among men in resource availability and willingness to share resources allows for mate selection based on these traits.

  • Cues signifying resource status influence mating preferences; this is evident across cultures.

Empirical Evidence of Preferences for Economic Resources

  1. Rating Studies:

    • Surveys show women rate resource availability as significantly higher in importance for potential mates (average score of 1.9 versus men’s 0.9).

    • This preference has remained stable over decades, regardless of changes in societal norms or economic conditions.

  2. Minimum Acceptable Income Study:

    • In long-term relationships, women set much higher bar for acceptable income 70th percentile for marriage and 45th percentile for std. compared to men about 40th percentile for wife (shifts in lower percentile in STM).

  3. traditional societies like the Kipsigis of Kenya prefer men with a larger plot of land.

Comparative Studies and Real-Life Advertisements

  • Women show a strong preference for economic resources in personal ads (like dating profiles or used to have newspaper want ads), mentioned 11 times more by women than by men.

  • In egalitarian (equal) societies like Sweden, preferences for economic resources remain significant, although less intense (3 times higher).

Convergent Evidence of Economic Preferences

  • Cultural Studies:

    • Across 37+ cultures, women consistently show greater preferences for resources than men.

  • Literature Analysis:

    • Themes of wealthy males attracting lower-status females are recurrent in folklore (a wealthy male and a girl who is attracted to him.. maybe a leader or prince, and she may be a peasant) and European literature (e.g., “Cinderella” narrative).

Contemporary Examples

  • Mail Order Brides: was done through mail and now too websites exist for such matchmaking. Preferences persist for resources even among women from less affluent backgrounds. they are willing to marry outside race, religion, geography but financial stability remains consistent.

  • Sugar Daddies: Relationships where males provide resources in exchange for short-term engagements highlight continuing relevance of economic resources in selection.

Conclusion and Takeaways

  • Economic resources play a substantial role in long-term mate attractiveness.

  • Preferences for resources are deeply rooted and consistent across cultures and historical contexts.

  • Evolutionary psychology provides a framework for understanding and interpreting these preferences in human relationships.