How Willing Are We to Lower Our Standards? Mate Preferences as a Function of Mate Value and Faithfulness History

Abstract

This study sought to determine how the mate value and revelation of faithfulness history could affect mate preference. It was predicted that faithfulness would be more important over mate value for a long-term relationship, and the opposite would be so for short-term relationships. Using a between-subjects experimental design, participants evaluated a hypothetical partner of high, similar, or low mate value that had a faithful or unfaithful past. Results revealed that people cared most about faithfulness for a long-term relationship when that person also had a similar or high degree of mate value. For short-term relationships people cared more about the mate value of a partner rather than faithfulness. These findings suggest that in general people are not willing to lower their standards for faithfulness when selecting a long-term mate, but more willing to do so in a short-term relationship.